


Sorry I Hit Your Car

by mottsforthots



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst isn't that long, Barista Rey, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Blow Jobs, Car 'accident', Car damage, Childhood Trauma, Consensual Sex, Consensual Sugar Daddy, Daddy Kink, Degradation, Dom rey, Dom/sub, Domestic Fluff, Drunk Calling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Drama, Family Issues, Finance Investor Ben, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, HEA, Hair Pulling, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Light Bondage, Light Choking, Love, Masturbation, Office Blow Jobs, Office Sex, Pet Names, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Possessive Ben, Rey Needs A Hug (Star Wars), Romance, Rough Sex, Semi-Public Sex, Shameless Smut, Smut, Spanking, Strangers to Lovers, Sub Ben, Sub Rey, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Daddy Ben, Sweet Sugar Daddy, Under-Desk Blow Jobs, Voyeurism, broke Rey, dom ben, rough smut, spoiling, very light angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:41:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 54,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29056074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mottsforthots/pseuds/mottsforthots
Summary: After opening her door into an expensive car parked beside her, Rey leaves a pathetic note behind with the hope whoever she hit won't track her down and make her pay to fix it. As it turns out, Rey hit the car of Ben Solo, a millionaire finance investor who just so happens to work at the corporate building she's a barista for. However, Ben doesn't even seem angry about the damage at all. In fact, he's very far from upset...This fic is basically just porn with plot. Don't read it if you don't like it ;)
Relationships: Kylo Ren & Rey, Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn/Rose Tico, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 66
Kudos: 536





	1. The McLaren

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fn_6969](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fn_6969/gifts).



> I hope y'all enjoy! xx

Rey was running late for her shift at Maz’s again, as usual. She’d just finished up her shift at the other little coffee joint she worked at, a built in cafe at the bottom of a shiny, modern corporate building, but her day of grinding up coffee beans was long from over. How else was she supposed to afford food, rent, and online classes? 

Just one last semester and she’d finally have the degree in engineering that she had always dreamed of. Until then— until she could get a job that she truly enjoyed and adored— Rey had to serve millionaires and hipsters coffee day in and day out. Though the corporate building wasn’t too bad, in all honesty.

Majority of the employees who came for their overpriced bean juice snapped their orders to her while on a phone call, avoiding as much interaction as possible, but they typically left hefy tips that Rey wasn’t complaining about. In time, she’d even grown to know the regulars.

One, an orange haired man with a pinched face, always ordered a flat white coffee at precisely 7 in the morning. Another, a tall woman with a serious blonde haircut and stern expression, only drank vanilla lattes. Not even iced. Rey shivered at the thought sometimes, but did her best to let it go.

And then there was  _ him.  _

The one who towered a good foot and some inches over her, dressed in sharp suits, flashy watches, and sleek shoes that oozed the word expensive. His hair was long, but styled perfectly every single day so that the long, inky locks covered his ears and never went past half of his neck. Rey often wondered what kind of thousand-dollar-product he used in that gorgeous mane of his.

He was always on the phone when he came at six in the morning, always the first one to arrive, and always sounding like his day had just been ruined for the millionth time. He never smiled, never had a friendly expression, and never did more than state, “Black coffee,” to her before grabbing it and leaving as soon as she handed it to him. 

Did it suck he didn’t tip? Yes. And did it suck that his only words to her ever were ‘black coffee’ when she wished he would just come up to her and ask how her day was going so far? Absolutely. 

But Rey just smiled appropriately to him anyway every single morning and handed him the cup that had already been made before he even entered the building. Sometimes, when she worked the early shift at Maz’s and the late shift at First Order Associates, she saw him leave just past midnight when she was closing down. 

Her mind always asked the same question when that happened:  _ did he ever sleep? _

It wasn’t like it really mattered, though. Rey was a beyond broke college student who mainly survived on ramen and a quarter tank of gas, and he was some millionaire investment banker who said ‘black coffee’ once a day to her. 

Today, however, Rey was running late to the better of her coffee jobs due to the fact Tallie had forgotten she had a shift after Rey. Leave it to Tallie to forget about the  _ one _ job she had. If there was a single person who probably had it worse than Rey, it was Tallie. But that was a story for another day.

So Rey found herself scurrying out of the modern building in the direction of her shitbox of a car, a golden chipped thing situated between Audis and BMWs and Mercedes and Land Rovers. And, by the way they parked as far away from her Honda as possible while remaining in their lines, Rey knew they wanted nothing to do with her car.

They certainly didn’t want to be dinged up by it, anyway. 

But of course, things happen, and Rey was late to her shift at 2:33 pm on a Monday. “I’m so going to get fired this time,” Rey whined as she dug into her satchel for her keys and finally pulled them out with a triumphant breath. She clicked the unlock button as she headed for her car and tried not to pay attention to the McLaren parked beside her.

Another fancy car, no surprise. That is, until she opened her door just a little too excitedly to get away… right into the shiny black side of the sports car. For a second, Rey just stared at the door still pressed into the paint of the car that cost more than her entire life, her breath frozen in her lungs.

She swallowed, scared to see what exactly the aftermath was the moment she pulled her door away from the McLaren’s body. But she was late for work, so she hesitantly pulled her Honda door away and whimpered out loud at the sight.

Not only had she dented it, she’d chipped off some of the black paint as well. “Oh my god… I can’t… I can’t fucking afford to…” Rey trailed off as she stared at the damage and licked her lips. Okay, she’d hit some millionaire’s car. They could afford to fix it themselves then, no problem.

They’d probably be pissed about it for a day or two, but they’d ultimately find a shop that could fix it in an hour if they flashed the right money, and then they’d be right back to normal, if not a little more wary of cheap cars. 

That didn’t mean Rey couldn’t leave a note behind to convey her deepest apologies.  _ Fuck it, she was already late anyway. _ Rey dove into her car and tossed her satchel into the passenger’s side before tugging open the usually stuck glove box to peer inside. 

Much to her relief, an old napkin with a small grease stain and an old black pen rested at the bottom of the otherwise cluttered box. She yanked both of them out and scribbled to write her apology note into the napkin, using the top of her car as a backboard for clear writing.

In the end, Rey only jotted down one sentence before tucking it under the McLaren’s left windshield wiper before clambering into her car and pulling away. 

The note read: 

_ sorry i hit ur car :(  _

Rey pulled up to Maz’s only ten minutes later, now nearly 30 minutes late, with her heart still racing from the damage she’d caused.  _ Note to self, open the car door slower next time.  _ “There you are! I was beginning to worry you forgot you had a shift today!” Maz called from over the counter once Rey entered the cozy cafe.

“No,  _ no!  _ Tallie ran late to her shift at the other place so then I was late and it was just a mess. Won’t happen again, Maz, sorry,” Rey quickly apologized as she rounded the cafe’s counter and grabbed the only available apron left. The rusty nails beaten into the wall beside the coffee pots would most likely stear anyone away, but Rey didn’t mind one bit.

She simply grabbed the apron, slung it around her neck, then got to work as she pushed the car incident to the back of her mind for the rest of the day.

*****

“You don’t look too good,” Finn told her as soon as she entered their apartment. Rey just huffed and tossed her keys into the bowl at their front door before flopping down onto the couch and burying her head into her hands. Her shift at Maz’s had been brutal, to be truthful, and the car incident itched at the back of her brain.

_ Did First Order Associates have cameras in their parking lot? _ Rey had never looked before. She really hoped whoever she dinged up was just the sort of rich person to swear and bitch about it for a while, then ultimately get it fixed and move on with life. 

The last thing she wanted was some big shot investment banker marching up to her stand the next morning and demanding she fork up the money to fix it. Rey quickly made a note to self to look up how much the average paint and dent repair for a McLaren was later.

“Work was hell and I may or may not have slammed my door into the side of a millionaire’s car…” Rey grumbled into her palms. Finn quickly sat up on the other end of their leather seating and grabbed her wrists so that he could look her in the eyes. Even he looked mortified at what she told him. 

“You hit a millionaire’s  _ car? _ Peanut, you know you can’t afford to fix that! What kind of car was it?” he gasped as Rey whimpered and shook her head in morose understanding. 

“It… it was a McLaren. A 720s Spider, to be exact… It’s a three hundred thousand dollar car, Finn. I looked it up during a bathroom break and it’s fucking nice. I can’t believe I hit it,” she muttered. God, it  _ was _ a nice car. With scissor doors, a twin turbocharged V8 engine, and a top speed of 212 miles per hour, it was a monster of a supercar.

And she’d scraped off its paint and dented it.

Finn reached out slowly, seeming to understand just how much stress she was under because of the incident, then tried to soothe her with, “Well, who knows? Maybe they’ll just fix it themselves and none will be the wiser?” Rey nodded along to that idea only because it was the one she was hoping on the most.

But if First Order Associates did have cameras, and if someone was pissed off enough to demand the tape, and if they inevitably hunted her down to the little coffee shop on the first floor, Rey was in deep shit. “I think I’m going to go take a bath. It’s been a long day and I have to be up at 5 tomorrow for my 6 am shift,” she whispered.

Rey stood up on suddenly numb legs and blinked in the direction of her bedroom. She really hoped it was cheap to fix that sort of issue, but she’d only know once she grabbed her phone and looked it up.

Finn leaned back on the couch, watching her go, but quickly called out, “Let me know if you need anything! Shit…”  _ Shit was right. _ Rey closed the bedroom door behind her dragging feet and leaned against it once she was alone and away from her roommate.

Rey loved Finn more than anything, they’d practically grown up together in the foster care system, but he tended to get just as worked up about her situations as she did sometimes. The last thing she needed was someone reminding her she’d damaged a sports car today. 

With a huff and a click of her cold bedroom door, Rey padded towards the bathroom and turned the silver handle of the bathtub to the red tape mark that was just a little past the warm area. She was very particular about the temperature of her water, sue her.

As she stripped off her coffee smelling work clothes, grimacing at the sight of more yellow stains on her white shirt, Rey couldn’t help but glance at the phone that tumbled out of her back jeans pocket. It was like it was demanding to be held and looked through.

“Fine. Fucking fine,  _ okay _ ?” she growled out to the square piece of technology. Rey swiped its cool and heavy surface off of the floor before stomping back to the bathtub and easing herself inside of its perfectly hot water. Hell, maybe she’d even allow herself some of the bubble bath that had left a sticky residue around its bottom.

Sure, why not? She deserved it, didn’t she? If she was going to be a broke woman if she was found, then she might as well indulge in the small luxury while she could.

Rey was used to not having many luxuries, so it wasn’t like it would truly be a big blow, but that didn’t mean she didn’t enjoy them. It had taken her a year or so after she and Finn left the foster care system and took out loans for online schooling to purchase something that wasn’t a necessity.

In truth, the first thing she’d ever bought that wasn’t really needed was a candle. And it was in a scent she actually liked. Rey had always been a sucker for the kinds of sickly sweet candles that made her room smell like she’d been baking inside of it. 

But she might have to say goodbye to her sugar scents for a while as well as she opened up Safari and typed in:  _ cost to fix a scratch and dent on a mclaren. _ The internet chugged for a second and Rey nervously bit her thumb nail until an article titled almost exactly what she wanted to look for popped up. 

_ Cost to Repair a Scratch on a McLaren 650s. _

She hurriedly clicked on it and read through the few paragraphs until she finally found the answer to her aching question. ‘With only a scratch on one quarter panel, the cost was going to be $15,000 in order to have a paintless dent repair professional complete the repair and paint it.’

Rey nearly dropped the phone in the tub. To her, a lot of money to fix a regular everyday car was around $200. She’d expected the number to be around $800, $900 at the most. But oh, how she was wrong. 

In the end, she simply set the phone down on the bath mat on the floor beside her tub and sank underneath the hot water, ignoring the hammering in her heart and the tears that disappeared without a trace.

*****

Rey had seriously contemplated calling in to her supervisor at First Order Associates to tell them she was ‘sick’ and couldn’t make it, but she gave in after a long internal debate and started to pull her clothes on for the day. Nothing like a tucked in white button up and basic blue jeans to try and convince rich people she was somewhat on her feet as well.

The drive to the corporate building was spent in silence, no radio on today, and the nerves in her stomach were making her nauseous. She decided to park in the back parking lot today instead of the front one, hoping that might also save her in the sense of prolonging her inevitable discovery.

Though she arrived at her usual time, twenty minutes early so she could make Mr. Mysterious Man’s black coffee and have it ready by the time he arrived, Rey found herself getting out of the car with ten minutes to spare this morning instead. He’d be grumpy about it, she knew that, but she was bound to be much more upset. 

_ He could frankly suck it today.  _

Her key trembled in her hand as she unlocked the gate protecting the coffee nook, but she managed to push it up and into the ceiling without a second thought before rounding the counter and grabbing the black apron waiting for her on the wall. 

Rey mindlessly cleaned off all of the equipment, started up the necessary machinery for the day, and pulled out the first bag of coffee beans to prepare for the predicted black coffee. 

Sure enough, right on the dot as she pressed the ground coffee beans into a filter and got ready to pour hot water over the dark lump, the familiar sound of nice shoes clicked over the tile behind her. Surprisingly, his deep and sultry voice wasn’t prominent today. No phone call to sour his mood, then.

When they stopped at the counter and the clearing of a throat followed, an annoyed sound, Rey finally turned and offered him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, sir. Running a bit late today. Coffee will be up in less than a minute,” she informed as professionally as possible.

God, she hoped she didn’t sound exhausted. Sleep had, for the most part, evaded her last night. Stupid fucking McLaren and stupid fucking millionaires and stupid fucking lack of money. She huffed at the thought and turned back around to continue pouring the hot water.

“You look tired,” he said bluntly from behind her. Rey choked on her own air for a second, caught off guard by his rather straightforward statement.  _ Who the hell just said that to people? _ Sure, she probably did look tired, but people often used the term tired as a synonym for bad or ugly when they didn’t want to hurt someone's feelings.

_ Well that fucking hurt. _

“Thanks for the observation,” Rey grumbled, reaching for a white lid to the coffee cup and slapping it on top of his finished beverage. She whirled back around with a now less than pleasant expression and held it out to him with pointed eyes. 

The man just raised an eyebrow at her amateurish reply, but he hesitantly took the cup anyway and reached for his wallet to grab his card. As he handed the black piece of plastic over to her, he questioned with dull amusement, “Do you always treat your customers this way?”

Rey ran an irritated hand through her hair and cursed the system for running slow today as she inserted his card into the white chip reader and waited. “That depends. My customers don’t usually tell me I look ‘tired’,” she shot back. 

The computer finally processed the payment and Rey hit the print receipt button with a rather harsh bump of her finger. Of course, the system started to process the request once again. “It was just a statement,” he pointed out nonchalantly, as if his words hadn’t made her day just a fraction worse.

The receipt started to slowly sprout out of the tiny box beside the computer. “Well most women don’t enjoy it when a man tells them they look tired. Isn’t that  _ crazy _ ?” Rey asked sarcastically, giving him eyes that feigned surprise. 

The man just frowned and took a sip from his black coffee, narrowing his eyes at her while the tiny receipt machine chugged away until it finished. Rey ripped the flimsy piece of white paper off as soon as it was done and handed it back to him along with his card.

“Now, thank you and enjoy the rest of your day,” Rey finished saltily. The man set his coffee cup back down and pushed the black plastic into a thin slit in his wallet before pulling out a crisp bill and shoving it into the glass tip jar for the first time ever. Without another word, he turned away and stuffed the leather back into his pants. 

“What the fuck…” Rey whispered, her eyes drifting down to the single 50 dollar bill jammed into the mason jar. People had been generous, but never  _ that _ generous, and certainly not when they played a rather snide game of subtly telling one another off. 

She simply huffed and turned back around to work on cleaning up before the next customer came along, every fibre of her hoping it wasn’t the person she’d hit.

*****

For the first time in a rather long time, Rey didn’t have to go to Maz’s after she finished her shift at First Order Associates. She’d handed everything off to Tallie when the sporadic woman came in and hung up her apron with a tired sigh and nothing else to say.

Tallie waved her off as the lunch hour rush of people came flooding in for their afternoon coffee, but Rey had managed to sneak a sugary frappuccino for herself before all of the coffee hungry zombies swarmed the first floor.

Rey sipped on her drink and rummaged through her satchel for her keys as she headed out of the glass doors built into the front of the building and entered into the warm summer air. Maybe she’d actually be able to talk a walk today, but she’d probably just end up on the couch watching Netflix as usual.

Another day, perhaps.

As she jogged down the steps leading up to the corporate building, a commotion to the left in the parking lot caught her attention. The man who drank black coffee first thing in the morning and took up all that space and called her tired today was on the phone, staring angrily at the side of his black McLaren. 

Rey felt all of the color drain out of her face and the sweet frappuccino she’d made for herself slipped out of her hand when she froze on the sidewalk. In that time, Rey realized two things simultaneously. First, black coffee man was the owner of the McLaren. Second, she’d been the one to ruin his sportscar and he was still angry about it.

Without warning, his dark eyes landed on hers at the same time he yelled into the phone and held his hand out, palm up, to the dent and scratch like the person on the other end of the line would see it. 

Rey squeaked and hurriedly jolted away from the uproar of black coffee man so she could speed walk to her car around back. “I’ll call you back, hey—!” his voice called out from behind her, obviously hanging up the call to focus on her sketchy behavior instead.

_ Shit, shit, shit. _

Before Rey could even pick up her pace, a large hand wrapped around her arm and spun her around so she could now look up at the giant of a man who was looking at her with confused eyes. He was also slightly out of breath, not that Rey noticed or anything.

“Hey, I saw that back there. You okay? You wouldn’t happen to know who hit my car, do you? They left a shitty note yesterday, didn’t even give up any information,” he growled out. Was she red? She was definitely red. Fuck, she was  _ so _ caught. 

“I, uh, no. No, I didn’t see anything. I was just, er, startled by the commotion is all,” Rey managed to choke out. His severe eyes raked over her face and he pursed his unusually plush lips for a man while an anxious silence passed over them. 

“You sound really fucking guilty,” he stated out of the blue. The wince that escaped Rey’s throat seemed to give enough away due to the fact he narrowed his eyes at her for the second time that day and glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the back parking lot. “Let me walk you to your car,” he demanded.

“Oh, no, you don’t have to—”

“Lead the way,” he simply gritted out. Rey gulped and bit her bottom lip, slowly pivoting on her sneakers and heading in the direction of her shitty car at a glacial pace. “What’s your name?” he asked, his tone tight and sharp. Black coffee man was certainly not in the mood to play around right now. 

“Rey Niima. You?” she replied, chastising herself for giving away her real name when it would become clear in a few moments that she’d been the one to hit him and leave the shitty note behind and dash. God, she was a fucking fool. A moron, if you will. 

“Ben Solo,” was all he said as a response. Clipped and all business, he followed beside her with his eyes locked again on the parking lot filled with nice cars. And, of course, both of their gazes seemed to fall on the run down gold Honda parked in the back at the same time.

“Well, Ben, I, uh, need to get to my second shift of the day and I’m in a bit of a rush, so thank you for walking me to my car, but I really need to—”

“I’ve seen your car parked in the front parking lot every day for the past three years. It’s always the first car there before me. Any reason why you’re suddenly parking back here?” Ben interrogated. Rey hastily unlocked the car and tried to shuffle towards the door, but he noticed and slid himself between her and the driver’s side pathway. 

_ Any other instance and Rey would be scared that a man as big as him wasn’t letting her leave. Was it bad she kinda found it hot? _

He looked positively deadly in front of her with jet black eyes, downturned eyebrows, and a new scowl on the usually pretty mouth of his that snapped her out of her thoughts. Rey just barely whispered, “I felt like changing it up?” Her reply came out as more of a question though, and that seemed to solidify her fate. 

“You hit my fucking car, didn’t you, Miss Niima?” Ben asked point blank. His gaze was unwavering and he folded giant arms across the wide expanse of his chest in determination and power. Rey bit down on her bottom lip once more, too afraid to tear away from his gaze, but she said nothing.

“Look, I can go to security and demand the video footage from yesterday for the parking lot and find out that way, or you can just tell me the truth right now and we can work something out,” he stated in exasperation.

If she told him to go to security and get the footage, she’d be able to escape and go home and quit her job and never come back here. It wouldn’t be  _ that _ hard to find a new barista job, but… he knew her name now. And he looked like the kind of man that could easily track her down without a problem. 

She was left with no choice then.

“I, uh… may or may not have… hit your really expensive sports car…” Rey admitted through slow and trailed off sentences. He nodded casually, clenching his jaw and looking down at the pavement for a second, clearly thinking, then clicked his tongue to the roof of his mouth 

“And you thought that leaving the note ‘sorry I hit ur car’ with the incorrect spelling of ‘your’ followed by a frowning face was the correct response to hitting my ‘really expensive sports car’?” he questioned, leading her on in the thought process he was currently grappling with himself.

Rey winced at that and wrapped her arms around her torso, her keys clinking somewhat in her hand due to the fact she was subtly shaking unknowingly. She just rasped out in a quiet murmur, “I don’t exactly have the kind of, er, money to…” 

She didn’t need to finish her sentence for him to get the idea. Ben just dragged out, “Right…” before looking over his shoulder at the golden 2001 Honda Civic. He’d probably never even touched a car like hers before in his entire life.

“And do you know how much it’s going to cost to get that repaired by any chance?” he continued, turning back to look at her as Rey kept her eyes downcast. She could feel his gaze burning holes into the top of her head, but she refused to look up at him now. Rey had never felt more like a guilty child caught doing troublesome things by an adult more than she did now. 

“I looked it up last night in the bath. Around, like, fifteen thousand, right?” she breathed out, rocking on her feet. 

“Try twenty-two thousand. It’s a 2020 720s—”

“—Spider, yeah, I know,” Rey finished for him. Feeling a small burst of bravery, Rey finally met his eyes once more and was surprised to find that he was no longer looking at her like he wanted to yell at her for hitting his car. No, he just looked annoyed at this point. She could settle for annoyance. 

“And I’m assuming you aren’t going to help in the slightest with that payment, are you?” Ben confirmed dully. Rey thought for a moment about her savings and held up a finger to signal she needed a minute before fishing out her phone from her back pocket and unlocking it.

Ben scoffed in astonishment and hissed out, “Are you  _ serious _ right now?” 

Rey just opened her banking app and refreshed the page to make sure she was getting an accurate read on the amount of money in her savings account. “Well, I have just over one hundred in my savings that’s supposed to go towards paying off my college loans, but… I can give it to you if you really need it,” she admitted softly.

Ben’s shoulders sagged at her statement and the bewilderment that had been on his face only seconds ago was now contorted into something disoriented and addled. “You have one hundred dollars in your savings? How much do you have in your spendable account right now?” he barked.

_ Right, he was an investment banker.  _

“Uh…” Rey looked back down at her phone and tapped out of the savings account to switch to the one she used for everyday purchases, like groceries and shampoo and shit like that. “Right now, I’ve got forty-two dollars. I get paid on Friday, so I mean, I can give you that paycheck if you really need me to also, but—”

“You’re fucking kidding me,” Ben cut in once more. She blinked at him, somewhat thankful that they’d turned the conversation more towards how broke she was instead of the damage she’d inflicted upon his car. Rey just shook her head, no, at him. 

Ben pushed a hand through his hair with a huff, looking to his left for another moment of conflicted thought, then he turned his focus back to her once more and made a quick glance up the entirety of her body. Rey shifted under his intense gaze, a blush easing its way onto her face.

“Alright,  _ fuck, _ I’ll just fix it myself. It’s not like I don’t have the goddamn money to do it… But you’re coming up to my office right now,” he informed her in a no nonsense sort of way. Rey swallowed hard, flicking her eyes to the rundown culprit car behind him before zeroing in once more on the serious man in front of her.

Hell, if he was going to pay for it himself and let her off the hook for the incident, Rey would gladly go anywhere he wanted. So she just huffed and shrugged before agreeing, “Alright. Lead the way.” Ben nodded and pushed past her, peering down at her smaller form to make sure she was actually following.

Rey didn’t really know what she was feeling as she trailed behind the absolute monster of a man. He was much larger a few inches away from her as opposed to the usual foot or two that the coffee shop counter provided, and fuck, did he smell good too.

Like whiskey and smoke and tangerines all mixed together in one dark, fruity scent.

Whatever expensive cologne he wore was certainly a good one and deserving of its price. “You don’t have a second shift to go to today, do you?” Ben asked when they found themselves at the stairs to the corporate building once more.

“Er… no, not today at least. But usually I spend my mornings here before going to my second barista gig until the dinner rush comes in,” she admitted softly behind him.  _ Tick off yet another lie she told him today…  _

Her sneakers squeaked against the polished stone of the stairs and the chocolate frappuccino she’d made for herself earlier was still on the floor at the very bottom, its dark brown contents spilled to all hell and withering beneath the summer sun. She really had been looking forward to that.

Ben said nothing else as they walked through the bustling first floor, the hectic lunch hour still going on, but no one seemed to pay them any attention as the pair moved towards the elevators. “Shit, hold on one second,” Ben growled suddenly.

Confused, Rey looked over to him while they waited with a small group for an elevator to descend, but he plunged his hand into one of the dark pockets in his slacks to retrieve his phone. “This is Ben Solo,” he answered, crisp and professional.

Rey took the time to clasp her hands in front of her blue jeans, wondering just how much shit she was truly in. He’d told her to go up to his office even after giving in and saying he’d pay for it himself, but she had a feeling that didn’t mean she wasn’t off the hook.

What could he possibly want from her? Free black coffee every morning for a month? Free car washes for the next year? The ding of the elevator pulled her out of her worry and Rey weakly followed Ben into the confined space with ten other polished executives. 

He was still speaking with whoever was on the other end of the line, his voice back to its usual exasperated and frustrated tone while the rest of the company remained silent. Rey had never been one to speak on the phone in quiet situations like this where her topics could disturb others, but Ben didn’t appear to have a care in the world.

She watched as he jammed a thick finger into floor 66, all of the other numbers pressed glowing over the twenties and thirties. Now was probably a bad time to tell him she had a fear of heights, wasn’t it?

One by one, the other suit wearing millionaires and pompous assholes left the elevator with sour faces and Rey silently found herself overjoyed at the fact she wasn’t withering away in a job like this. None of them seemed happy here, but when one got a big paycheck, that probably didn’t matter in the end.

Ben finally terminated the call when it was just them left in the ascending contrapment, terrible music of the classical kind humming away in the background. Rey swallowed down her nerves as the elevator came to a slow stop and eventually dinged open to reveal a small foyer with a large set of silver twin doors at the other end. 

There was a receptionist to the right, a pretty black haired thing with thin arms and a perfectly made over face, and Rey blanched at how plain the woman made her feel. Ben once again paid no attention to the environment around him and strode out of the elevator towards the doors, as if a  _ model _ wasn’t seated right there.

“Mr. Solo, your meeting with Mr. Snoke has been moved to 5:00 tonight,” the woman behind the desk informed professionally as they passed.

“So I’ve been told,” Ben snapped back before opening the silver entryway and letting Rey walk inside first. As expected, his office had a complete birdseye view of the city, all three walls in front of her, pure glass.

His furniture was sleek, modernized to a T in dark blacks and sharp silvers, and the decorations that were scattered around the room looked rich and minimalistic. Rey figured the whole office probably cost double her entire college tuition. “Take a seat, Miss Niima,” Ben sighed.

She watched as he effortlessly rounded his black desk and sat in the leather chair behind it, diverting his attention to the massive iMac tilted on the left of the smooth object supporting the rest of his expensive looking office things. 

Rey nervously padded over to one of the two chairs on the opposite side and sat down quietly, observing him as he typed into his keyboard and clicked a few things she couldn’t see. What on earth was she doing here? Yeah, she was out of having to pay for the damage she caused, but why the fuck was she  _ here? _ In his office?

“Is there… something you needed me for? Up here? Specifically?” Rey asked, trying to make herself more and more clear when she inquired him. Ben finally looked away from the screen and leaned back in his chair, his attention on whatever he’d been looking for abruptly gone.

“Yes, actually. I’d like to ask you a few more questions about your financial situation,” he admitted. Dumfounded, Rey just gaped at him with the most bewildered expression she had as he stared emotionlessly back at her.

“And just  _ why _ do you want to ask me questions about that? I already told you I can’t afford to fix your car and the amount I have in my savings and spending account. I didn’t think I could make the idea that I’m poor any more clearer to you,” Rey snapped. 

This man was infuriating. For someone so smart, he certainly hadn’t caught onto  _ that _ little tidbit about her life. Rey wasn’t ashamed that she didn’t have much money— she’d never had money growing up. The only reason she didn’t have much now was because she’d been putting herself through online college to get a formal education.

And that was something she was proud of, whether she was broke because of it or not. In a few years, she’d never have to worry about student loans again, and she certainly wouldn’t have to worry about coffee stains on her white shirts.

“You said your savings are for college, to pay off loans and whatnot. What college do you go to?” Ben asked, ignoring the part where she said she was poor. Rey was albeit a little impressed he actually latched onto the information that she was in school.

Wiggling in her chair, now starting to feel a little embarrassed because she was sitting in some big shot’s office who probably went to an in person ivy league school, Rey just muttered, “Uh, SNHU. You know… the online one.” 

Ben nodded and looked her over with a searing gaze.  _ Why did he have to be so hot when he did that?  _ Rey shifted in her chair for a different reason this time and tried not to think about how incredibly attractive this man was. 

“What degree are you pursuing?” he continued. 

Rey just huffed at the interrogation and answered, “Engineering. Mechanical. Look, all of my money goes to my education, okay? It’s why I drive that shitty Honda, why I work as a barista at two different places every single day of my life, and why, for just a few hours last night, I was accepting the fact I might have to say goodbye to the scented candles I love if I had to pay for repairs.

“I don’t have money to spare, Solo. I’ve been broke practically my entire life, which is why you need to tell me right now whether or not you want to pocket some of my money. If that’s the case, tell me soon so I can then figure out how much longer it’s going to set me back until I can graduate and get a real, nice paying job.” 

She sighed after she was done and crossed her arms protectively over her chest, already trying to figure out how she was going to tell Finn about her day. Ben just tapped his fingers on his desk and remained quiet for a long time.

Growling, Rey sat forward in the chair and barked out, “Can you just tell me what the hell I’m doing here? I’d rather not waste my day waiting for you to either punish me, let me go, or continue questioning me about my money.” 

“On the contrary, I’d like to take you out for dinner tonight, Miss Niima,” Ben replied casually. She immediately reeled back in the comfortable leather chair and stared at him with an expression twisted up in confusion. Out of all the things Rey expected him to say, that  _ certainly _ wasn’t it.

*****

McLaren 720s Spider

$315,000- $411,300


	2. The Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoy! xx

“Hold on… you’re going _where_ for dinner tonight?” Finn asked incredulously, his eyes looking like they were just about ready to pop out of his head. Rey ran a tired hand through her already tormented locks of hair and stared at the small collection of dresses she had in her closet.

“The Supremacy. You know, the fucking five star one that’s booked months in advance and feeds you the small ass portions worth hudreds. That’s where I’m going for dinner,” Rey huffed out. 

She and Finn had made fun of the place for years, shitting on the people who paid two hundred dollars for a gram of food as compared to ten dollars for an entire chicken nugget meal at McDonalds. When Ben had asked to take her out for dinner, Rey had sat in a stunned silence for a rather uncomfortable time. 

She’d asked him to repeat that, and he did, and when he did, she inched forward and asked him if he was sure. Ben had just raised an eyebrow at her and nodded, tilting the iMac computer screen towards her to show he’d already made a reservation for 7:30 pm. 

And how on earth was Rey supposed to say no to that? Since when did hitting someone’s car and leaving them to pay for it lead to a five star meal she didn’t have to pay for? Rey was crazy if she didn’t accept his offer. Her brain swam at the thought— a ridiculously sexy millionaire wanted to take her out— but that was a can of worms Rey didn’t want to open right now.

Shit, she had nothing to wear. All of her dresses were overly casual work dresses, not something she could slip on and feel sexy in across the table from Ben fucking Solo. “Your friend Rose has a lot of dresses, doesn’t she?” Rey suddenly asked, whipping around to face her still stunned best friend. 

Flabbergasted, Finn fumbled for words but finally managed to get out, “I, uh, I mean, yeah, but… you’re actually going on a date? With the dude whose car you hit? Seriously?” 

Rey reached out to her roommate and snatched the phone tucked way in the back pocket of his jeans, quickly entering the passcode she’d memorized without him knowing, before clicking on contacts. “Hey, wait a second, how did you know my passcode?” Finn cried, switching to a new topic of concern.

She just ignored him as she pressed down on Rose’s name and hit call. It only took three rings before the familiar and cheery voice of Rose greeted, “Hey, hot stuff, I’ve been waiting for you to—”

“Rose? It’s Rey. Listen, I need to borrow a dress tonight. I don’t have anything and it’s for a super hot, rich date,” Rey cut in. She only frowned and jerked her head up to look at Finn when she realized Rose had greeted with the name hot stuff. She’d definitely have to ask him about that later.

The woman on the other line coughed, clearly just as caught off guard as Rey was at the fact it wasn’t Finn calling her. “ _Rey!_ Uh, hi! Yeah, I have a few dresses. Um, want me to send you pictures? I have a few that were too small for me that would probably fit you perfectly,” Rose moved on. 

“That’d be great, Rose. Just send them to Finn’s phone. Thanks!” Rey agreed happily. She cut off the call before Rose could say anything else, then tossed the device to Finn with a pointed look.

“When I’m back from my date, I’ll want to know why exactly Rose answered with ‘hey, hot stuff’. Got it?” Rey demanded from her best friend. The color drained from his face, but he nodded anyway and handed the phone back to her moments later when it vibrated with a text from Rose. 

Rey snatched up the device and looked at the options, her eye instantly landing on a black gown with a slit down the side for one of her legs and simple spaghetti straps. This dress had definitely lied about whatever size it was supposed to be when Rose ordered it. But it would definitely fit Rey in all of the right places, that much was certain.

And so that was how Rey found herself back in her shit box of a car that had started this whole mess, barreling down the street at 5:00 pm towards Rose’s apartment. Ben was probably in the meeting she’d heard about earlier right now, but Rey wasn’t exactly sure why the thought abruptly popped into her mind.

It wasn’t like she cared. Why would she? She barely knew the guy. That didn’t mean she didn’t want to look good for him and completely get his mind off of work as soon as he came to pick her up, though. He’d given her his number after all to let her know when he was going to retrieve her from her run down apartment. Ben didn’t have to know that yet, though. 

Rose had a considerably nicer apartment since she was already done with college and in the working world, one of the actually employed editors at the company Finn had been receiving a paid internship from for the past three years. The whole ‘hot stuff’ slip-up made Rey think for a second that maybe they weren’t just coworkers after all… 

Rey slipped out of her car and hurried up the uncracked steps to Rose’s apartment, just about to knock on the door when the said woman opened it and shoved the black dress towards here. “Here! I, uh… you aren’t going to say anything about Finn and I, are you…?” Rose asked anxiously after jutting the fabric into her hands.

Rey blinked at the suddenness, but carefully took the gown and shook her head with a sympathetic smile. “No. I might tease him a little, but that’s it. He’s a good guy and you’re really sweet, Rose. It’s a good match. Thank you for letting me borrow your dress, by the way. I promise I’ll get it back to you tomorrow,” she swore.

The kind woman in front of her blushed at Rey’s words but ducked her head in appreciation. “Yeah, of course, no problem. Have fun on your date!” Rose just said cheerily back.

With another squeak of a _thanks_ and the returning giddiness to her stomach, Rey whirled around and scurried back to her car with the new piece of sexy clothing in towe. Rey wasn’t even sure why she agreed to go to dinner with Ben Solo— he’d explained to her as he programmed his number into her phone that she could back out if she desired and with the promise that he’d never bother her again.

But Rey _wanted_ to go to dinner with him. They’d gotten to a rather rocky start to whatever this new relationship was that had blossomed between them, she didn’t count giving him black coffee every day as acquaintanceship, but Rey had to know more about this man.

After all, he’d let her off completely scott free on damaging his car and then he’d asked her to dinner. Shit, maybe he wasn’t sane. But no, that couldn’t be right, because he worked for an almost billion dollar company and drove a goddamn McLaren.

Anyone who managed those two things had to be of sound— and intelligent— mind. 

It wasn’t like he was unattractive either, not in the slightest. Ben Solo had this distinct look that no other man on the planet had— with angular bone structure, long facial features, scattered beauty marks, full lips, wide shoulders, and bulky ligaments, Ben Solo was as tall, dark, and handsome as they came.

There was something about the way everything fit perfectly for him as compared to any other average man that made Rey’s toes curl and her cunt flutter within the confinement of her panties.

“Focus, Rey. You don’t want to wreck your car and have to pay for it,” she growled to herself as she sped back home. Finn was waiting for her impatiently in the kitchen when she tumbled back inside, his pacing making her dizzy almost instantly until he stopped and hurried towards her.

“I don’t like this idea. I’ve thought about it, and I don't like it. What if he, like, wants to buy your body or something? You know? Pay with sex and all that shit?” Finn rambled. Rey rolled her eyes and started to shuck off all her clothes as she padded towards her bedroom.

“Finn, shut up. We grew up in the foster care system, if he tries anything, I know how to defend myself. Now help me zip up this dress because he’s going to be here in an hour and I still need to put on some makeup and do my hair,” Rey grumbled. 

Finn shook his head, clearly displeased, but he followed behind her anyway with pursed lips and dragged the zipper the rest of its way up her back. Rose was certainly right, it was small. Fuck, would she even be able to breathe in this?

She better not pop the stupid stitching from eating that high end meal tonight.

*****

The expected buzz from her phone came exactly at 7 and promptly made Rey’s stomach fall through the floor. 

Ben Solo: _I’m outside._

“Okay, how do I look?” Rey asked nervously, turning away from the mirror beside the kitchen wall to face Finn. He still looked apprehensive about the entire situation, but he gave in with a sigh and told her she looked absolutely gorgeous with as kind of a smile as he could muster.

Smoothing her dress, Rey tightened her grip on the black clutch she’d gotten on sale a long time ago from God knows where and unlocked the front door. Ben was leaning against another shiny sports car parked along the curb and his eyes visibly darkened when he set his gaze upon her.

Rey pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and started her slow descent of the four concrete steps leading up to their rented home, internally praying she didn’t trip on her heels and embarrass herself in front of him.

“Miss Niima, you look stunning,” Ben greeted, a hungry undertone gracing his words. She bowed her head in an attempt to hide her blush, but slipped her dainty fingers into his extended hand all the same so he could walk her to her side of the car. 

“Do I want to know what happened to the McLaren I damaged?” Rey asked teasingly when Ben opened the door and carefully guided her inside. She could see the faint grin on his lips, obviously amused at the question, but he just closed the car door on her and rounded the exterior to clamber into his own seat.

Ben simply answered, “No. But I haven’t had a chance to drive the Aston Martin before, so I figured why not take it out tonight?” 

“Wait, what?” Rey deadpanned, quickly catching onto the fact he hadn’t driven this car before. The engine came to life, cutting her off from the ability to convey her concern, as Ben peeled away from the curb without even looking to see if anyone was coming.

Rey yelped, pawing behind her in a panic to drag the seatbelt over her body while Ben chuckled through a smirk and expertly navigated them towards the city. “You could’ve killed me!” Rey hissed, smacking his arm with narrowed eyes and a huff of frustrated breath.

“I would never,” Ben chided back. He gradually brought the car back to an acceptable speed and handled it with more care, allowing Rey to sink into the rich leather and admire the view of the twinkling city quickly growing in the distance.

“Can I just… can I just ask why you wanted to bring me to dinner tonight?” Rey questioned when they finally took an exit off of the highway and sped onto a quieter street that would take them to the elegant restaurant.

“Am I not allowed to ask a beautiful woman to dinner?” he retorted.

If Rey wasn’t blushing before, she definitely was now. Did he really think she was beautiful? Some part of her thought that this really might be a trap, that he was going to take her to dinner, then bring out the authorities with a _surprise!_ and arrest her. 

Rey just choked out a dull, “I, uh… suppose so, yes…” 

Ben chuckled once more, casting his gaze onto her out of the corner of his eye. Rey pretended like she hadn’t seen him looking. Okay, so the hot millionaire whose car she’d damaged was taking her out to dinner and thought she was beautiful. When did something like this ever happen to someone?

“I’m not mad about the car, if that’s what you’re thinking so hard about. I’d already called someone yesterday to fix it and I was arguing with them on the phone today because they said they’d lost the paint match and had to get a new one. The note was shitty, sure… but now I just find it rather funny,” he admitted.

It was Rey’s turn to look at him while he drove, raising an eyebrow at him curiously. “What if I was someone who worked at the company with you, though? Then would you have asked me to pay?” she interrogated.

Ben grinned with his teeth and nodded before confessing, “Oh absolutely. I hate just about every person who works in that God forsaken building. Well, everyone except the beautiful barista who has a cup of black coffee waiting every day for me.”

If he didn’t stop soon, the chefs might confuse Rey for a tomato when they walked inside the restaurant.

“If I can be honest with you, Miss Niima, I’d had my eye on you for a while. I practically lost all anger about the situation as soon as I discovered it was you who dinged my car. If anything, I was relieved. It gave me the opportunity to ask you out,” he continued.

Rey blinked at him— once, twice, three times. Holy shit. He’d been wanting to ask her out. Her, the broke barista struggling to get an online college degree who figured he’d only ever be known as black coffee guy.

“I will admit I gave you a bit more of a scare than I intended about the whole situation, so I can only ask for your forgiveness for that, but I figured asking you out to dinner in a bit more of a private area… away from our cars… might give me a better chance in convincing you to say yes,” Ben finished.

He parked the car as soon as he completed his explanation, Rey not even realizing they’d pulled into the restaurant parking lot until the glowing sign of The Supremacy entered her peripheral vision. 

“You could’ve just _asked,_ Solo,” Rey practically whined, chastising him with bewildered eyes and a gaping mouth. Ben nodded with a rather embarrassed smile and looked her up and down in one easy sweep. He certainly wasn’t subtle, that was for sure.

“Yes, but I’m very pleased with how this turned out,” he replied, voice dark and seductive. Ben exited the car before Rey could even catch up with the abrupt mood change, her panties flooding with a wet warmth while her stomach flipped in anticipation for what was to come. 

He was opening the car door for her before she could catch her composure, but Rey just accepted his hand without a word and let him walk her up the red carpeted stairs into the entryway of the restaurant. Soft jazz played in the background over the murmur of happy patrons, but everyone seated around the front of the enclosed space quieted down upon Ben’s appearance.

“Mr. Solo, so glad to see you dine with us tonight. Allow me to lead you and your guest to your table,” the hostess greeted not even two seconds after they’d entered. Rey was being tugged along once more then, her hand still entwined in Ben’s, and she tried to avoid the stares from people at the tables they passed.

Why on earth was everyone watching them? He couldn’t possibly be this well known, could he? 

The black haired hostess sat them down at one of the more exclusive booths at the back of the restaurant, flashing heart eyes at Ben with a dashing smile before looking over at Rey and handing her the menu with a less than enthusiastic look. “How lovely,” Rey grumbled under her breath. 

Ben let out a huff of amusement at her comment, lifting a questioning eyebrow at her, but she just shook it off and turned her attention to the food in front of her. The prices were the first things to catch her eye and Rey sputtered at the expensive total.

She and Finn knew this place was pricey… but Jesus Christ… 

“Are you alright?” Ben asked, concern covering his face as he reached out and gently took her hand in his. Rey tried not to blush at the action, but she nodded and waved him away with a tight smile.

“Yeah, I just… this is really expensive, Ben. You know I would’ve been pleased with McDonald’s or Olive Garden or something, right?” she questioned, trying to confirm with him that he understood that. 

It was his turn to choke somewhat on his air and Rey had the abrupt realization that Ben Solo, or any of the other people dining here tonight, would ever go to one of those places in their entire life. Rey suddenly felt like an intruder.

Here she was, in a gown that wasn’t hers, sitting across from one of the wealthiest men she’d ever met who would never be able to understand what exactly her life was like day in and day out. She felt sick to her stomach, and Ben seemed to sense it. 

“Rey, I asked you to dinner tonight for a reason. Just because you’re fine with McDonald’s and Olive Garden and what have you doesn’t mean I don’t want to take you to nice places or buy you nice things. You’re just as deserving of an overpriced meal as the rest of these people, and I couldn’t frankly give less of a damn about what they think.

“You look gorgeous in an evening gown— you’re the most beautiful woman in this room in my opinion— and food is food at the end of the day. Don’t let these people and my lack of understanding when it comes to your life experiences ruin this for you. I want you here with me tonight and I want to spoil you, Rey. I really fucking do,” he asserted.

Rey took in every word with wide eyes and parted lips, but she got his message loud and clear. He wanted to treat her to the finer things in life, spoil her in the ways he knew, and it didn’t matter to him if she wasn’t like the rest of these people in here— that’s what he truly liked about her.

“What exactly do you mean by spoiling me and buying me nice things? Are you…” Rey trailed off, Finn’s term of _sugar daddy_ echoing in the back of her head. 

“I’d like to take you to do nice things like this often, buy you dresses and shoes and bags and anything else you could possibly want to wear on our outings, and then treat you to other things you desire, simply because I want to,” Ben stated bluntly.

“Sugar daddy,” Rey confirmed.

Ben laughed at that, eyeing her with a mix of amusement and enticement. “If that’s what you’d like to call it, Miss Niima, then by all means. I don’t require anything in exchange except for your honest company, exactly as you are. It’s refreshing to a man surrounded by arrogant bastards who already have everything they could ever want,” he sighed. 

A waiter came over to take their drink orders before Rey could say anything else, but as soon as he left, Ben just eyed her with a smirk and dark eyes and added, “Think about it, Rey. That’s all I ask.”

*****

Rey had never been so full in her entire life. The night had gone exceptionally smooth after her earlier concern for if she belonged here or not, Ben ordering them the richest bottle of wine she’d ever tasted along with lobster bisque as an appetizer and filet mignon as an entre. 

He’d watched her with an amused smile the entire time, as if he took pleasure in watching her eat the foods he was used to, and even offered a dessert as well before Rey turned him down with a content sigh. 

“I don’t think I want to eat anything other than this ever again. You’ve ruined food for me, Ben Solo,” Rey grumbled as she sat back in her booth and cupped the side of her face with her hand, staring at him with a satisfied grin of her own.

“Well, Miss Niima, if I’ve ruined all other meals for you then I must remind you of my offer to treat you to dinners like this whenever you want still stands,” he informed her. She watched as his thick fingers curled around the thin glass stem of his wine glass and Rey’s throat suddenly went dry.

Maybe it was the wine getting to her head, but Rey could think of nothing more than feeling those fingers of his in her mouth or in her dripping cunt below the table. Snapping herself out of the abrupt dirty thoughts, Rey flashed her eyes back to his gaze only to find him smirking devilishly. 

“And if I want to repay you with something other than my ‘honest company’, what would you say to that?” Rey asked, emboldened by her delicious dinner and lavish wine. 

Ben raised an eyebrow at this and parted his lips, as if about to say something, but he hesitated for a moment before questioning back, “Does this mean you’d agree to what I want then? To spoiling you and treating you to the finer things in life by my side?” 

She nibbled on her bottom lip, thinking of all the things she could experience and have that her normal salary and mundane life couldn’t offer her right now. Rey only had a semester left of school before she got a true job— before she could start to buy things and eat things she wanted for herself— so… why not?

“Yes,” Rey finally whispered, her eyes trapped in his dark stare. “Yes, I agree. I’d like it very much.” Ben cocked his head to the side and nodded in a slow, understanding way while a mischievous glint passed over his eyes.

“And, do tell, Miss Niima, what exactly did you have in mind for repaying with something aside from your company?” he pressed. Rey’s cheeks flushed crimson with embarrassment at what she was about to admit, but Ben Solo was one attractive man and she’d be an idiot not to indulge in the luxury of his body as well.

“Sex,” she stated as plainly as possible, trying to match his own direct dialect while silencing the part of her that was screaming are you fucking insane?!

He stared at her for a long time, tapping his index finger over the stem of his wine glass while he gauged whether or not she was serious with her response, but Rey didn’t wither under his gaze and stared right back. “And that’s what you really want, Rey?” Ben asked, his voice low and rasping. 

“It’s what I really want,” she agreed. 

Ben wasted no time calling for the check, slipping his black card to the waiter before elegantly signing off on the amount and pushing the piece of plastic back into his wallet after the transaction was complete. Rey finished the rest of her wine, both of them in a tense silence, but Ben stood first and extended his hand to her once she was done.

Rey slipped her fingers across his palm, shivering at the jolt of electricity that ran through her arm at the connection, and laced their hands together. Ben wove them through the maze of tables without any care for the patrons looking at them, and Rey found she really didn’t mind either.

All of her focus was on the man leading her away from he restaurant, the same man she’d just basically agreed to become a sugar baby to. Ben fished out the keys to his car as they headed down the carpeted steps of the establishment and helped her into her side just as he had earlier in the night.

But as soon as he slipped into his side and closed the door, Ben turned and fisted the back of her hair in order to pull her into a ravishing kiss. Rey moaned loudly into his mouth in both surprise and pleasure, but she met him with just as much passion when she grabbed at the lapels of his suit jacket and pulled him deeper in.

Ben’s tongue pushed greedily into her mouth, tasting all of her while she panted heavily against his lips, and the groan that reverberated through his throat when she moved one of her own hands into his hair sent a pulse of pleasure straight to her clit.

“Are you going to take me to your apartment or are you going to fuck me in your car?” Rey asked breathly, pulling away from their heated kiss only for Ben to start trailing his hot lips down the column of her throat. 

“Apartment,” Ben growled. He huffed as he tore himself away from her skin, obviously displeased with having to do so, but he practically peeled out of the restaurant parking lot in a mad dash to get home.

Feeling bold, and quite frankly loving how riled up he was, Rey hiked up the trail of her gown so that the slit meant to show off her left leg now provided a perfect view of her lace clad cunt. Ben glanced over to see what she’d done and hissed as if he’d been burnt when he spotted the black scrap of lingerie.

“And just what do you think you’re doing, sweetheart?” Ben threatened deeply, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel and sped through traffic. 

Rey simply bit her lip and pushed her hand into her panties as she stared at the side of his face, her fingers nudging against her swollen clit and rolling around the sensitive nub. “Oh, fuck…” she whimpered, her eyelids now heavy with lust.

“You come in my fucking car and you’re getting punished when we get to my apartment,” Ben warned. Rey just bit back a grin, picking up the pace and applying more pleasure to her clit with a soft keening sound.

“Shit,” Ben murmured, adjusting himself in his seat while he made a particularly sharp turn around the corner. Rey needed more, starting to work herself into dangerous territory, and couldn’t help it when she finally sank two fingers into her sopping wet heat with a wine.

Ben flicked his eyes down to her panties to see what she’d done, the sight of her fingers slowly pushing in and out of her dripping pussy forcing him to shove the back of his knuckles into his mouth in order to contain a grown. “I might come all over your seat… ruin it,” Rey teased breathily. 

“Do it and I’m spanking that sweet little ass of yours,” he snapped back. She giggled at his short temper, but the humored sound was quickly cut off when he reached over with one hand and shoved his fingers into her panties as well. 

The feeling of his rough pads against her throbbing clit made Rey arch off of the leather seat with a sharp cry of ecstasy, her fingers now curling deep inside of her against the spongy front wall that promised release if she kept going. Rey didn’t mind being spanked if she came right here, not one fucking bit.

The desperate and lusty sounds that fell from her lips made Ben’s fingers speed up expertly around her clit, like he knew exactly what she needed and just how to make her reach her peak if she continued to fuck herself with her fingers.

The soft spot inside of her sang as she crooked her fingertips against it and the familiar coiling of pleasure deep within her belly told her that she was getting close, alarmingly close. Ben said he’d spank her, yes, but would he do anything else? He wouldn’t hold back on fucking her if she came, would he?

As much as Rey wanted to come in his car, absolutely ruin the expensive leather seats underneath her with her slick fluids, she wanted his cock stuffed inside of her that much more. And if she really wanted it too… Rey might just ask Ben to spank her anyway.

Like an answer to her prayers, the car came to a jolting halt outside of a private garage and Ben’s fingers were pulling away from her underwear so that he could press a button on his wheel to open the door. 

“So no… no punishment then?” Rey asked through shuddering gasps. Ben shoved his fingers into his mouth as a reply, his eyes dark and cheeks flushed with lust. That said it all— she was about to be fucked within an inch of her life when they got to his apartment.

The building itself was nearly entirely glass with ash wood accents and green leafy decor that crawled up its sides and spilled over modern balconies from above. It only had about six floors, which seemed odd to Rey, until she realized each floor was someone’s entire living space. 

And the building was _massive._

Before she could look at it any longer, the car moved into the private underground garage that was reserved specifically for Ben’s cars, all _seven_ of them. Rey spotted the McLaren First, a Porsche, a Land Rover, two Jaguars, an Alfa Romeo, and the typical Lamborghini. With the Aston Martin being parked, that made eight in total.

_Jesus Christ._

Ben exited the car, muttering something under his breath in annoyance, but he came to her side once more and picked her up bridal style without any warning. “Oh!” Rey yelped at the ation and clasped her hands around his neck to avoid falling, her nose burying itself against his fancy stuit.

God, he really smelled heavenly, didn’t he? Ben strode over to what appeared to be a private elevator, but the numbers 1-6 appeared on the dash all the same. He retrieved a key from his back pocket, shoving it into the slot next to the number 6, and then Rey realized each garage must have their own private elevator, but to get to their private floor, they needed the private key as well.

Fuck, this was fancy.

“I’ve never been to an apartment like this before,” Rey whispered against his chest, peeking up at him from underneath her long lashes. 

“Well you’re about to be ruined in one, sweetheart,” Ben informed darkly with a smirk on his lips and a glint in his eyes. Rey simply let a small sound slip out of her throat and rubbed her thighs together in her dress while the elevator lurched upwards to its destination.

Of course he lived in the top apartment, a modern thing accented with rich woods and faux plants and sleek art that reminded her of his office. But she barely got to take in its entirety when they arrived due to the fact Ben’s hot mouth was back on top of hers and he was clearly driven in a certain direction.

The fall from his arms to his bed was a short one, drawing a squeak of surprise out of all her all the same, and she drew in a short breath before he was kissing her again. 

She moaned loudly against his lips and felt him hurriedly removing his jacket, tossing it somewhere in the room, but the feeling of his warm hands on her thighs made her gasp and wish he was taking off her outfit as well.

Ben fisted both of the spaghetti straps on her shoulders and roughly yanked them down, her bare breasts suddenly exposed to the cool air of his bedroom. “Fuck!” Rey whined, gasping immediately after her cry when his tongue found one of her rosy nipples and expertly wrapped its wet self around it.

Her fingers flew to his hair, soft and full, and she tugged his face closer to the sensitive swell of skin at the same time Ben’s teeth nipped at the pebbled peak. Rey spread her legs wider, internally cursing her dress for still being on, in order to accommodate his entire body practically covering her.

One of his rough palms trailed up her thigh again, following the slit in the dress up and up until the silky black skirt of the gown was clumped around her waist. “You could just take it off me,” Rey panted into the air, mewling when he moved his mouth to her other nipple to tease it. 

Ben grinned against her skin, but he remained quiet in his torturously pleasing ways and pushed the same hand that had been on her thigh moments ago back into her sopping wet panties. “You’re soaked, sweetheart. Is this all for me?” he murmured huskily against her breast.

She nodded in rapid agreement, arching her back off of his bed in a desperate attempt to bring him closer and draw his fingertips towards her still aching clit. She hadn’t forgotten about her ruined orgasm in the car. But as soon as he was on her, he was gone.

Rey opened her eyes, not even realizing she’d closed them, and sat up to protest until she found his brooding figure at the end of the bed thumbing at the buttons on his shirt. She bit her lip, watching as he popped each one away from its clasp until it was completely open, still tucked into the waistband of his slacks.

“By the way you didn’t stop me in my car from touching that poor sensitive clit of yours, even after I’d threatened the punishment of spanking your sweet ass, I’m going to take a wild guess the thought of my hand stinging your cheek turned you on. Didn’t it, sweetheart?” Ben asked, clearly baiting her towards something.

His fingers worked on his black tie next, undoing the expert loop only to wrap the fabric around his palm as he finally grabbed the white button up and pulled it completely off. Rey gulped at the sight of his bare torso— sculpted, lean with muscle, and wider than a fucking fridge, Ben was a solid man.

“It… it did,” she confessed weakly. Ben nodded at this, like he knew her answer all long, and then made a motion with his index finger that quietly commanded she flip onto her belly. 

Rey followed his order with a hitched breath, only taking in a sharp inhale when she felt his fingers run down her bare back before latching onto the zipper. Ben dragged it down with ease, clearly to tease her more, but eventually came to its end.

There were a few beats of silence where Rey was waiting for him to do something like lift up the skirt and spank her hard, but the feeling of fabric being ripped off of her body in a split second made her yelp. She was completely bare on his bed now, except for her panties, and his hand ran down the curve of her spine.

“This is the prettiest sight I’ve ever seen. This ass of yours is about to be so red with my handprint, Rey. How many do you think you deserve, sweetheart?” he teased coarsely behind her. His fingers dipped into the waistband of her panties, and without warning, those were gone too.

The backs of his fingers slid up and down within her slick folds, stopping just above her clit every time, and Rey whined at the feeling like a dog tricked out of getting a treat. “Answer the question, Rey,” Ben demanded, harsher this time. 

“T-ten!” she bit out, throwing a number into the air in hopes it would finally make him touch her weeping clit. What would his fingers feel like inside of her? What would his _cock_ feel like? It had to be big like the rest of him, it _had_ to be. He hummed in approval at her decision and pulled away only to sit down beside her on the bed.

He patted his lap expectantly, and Rey, without shame, quickly rose on all fours to climb over his thighs and rest her lower belly on top of them. Her ass was at the perfect angle for being spanked, jutting out from the edge of his leg, and Ben’s palm found its smooth surface once more.

“And you’re going to count for me, aren’t you, pretty girl?” Ben led on. Rey nodded once more and squirmed in his lap, relishing in the feeling of his hand kneading her soft skin before the inevitable. And, just as she expected, his hand came down at an angle on her right cheek before she even knew it had left in the first place.

Rey jerked forward and fisted the sheets, crying out, “One!” as a single drop of wetness dripped down onto her clit. 

“Look at that… you do like this. Fuck, I would take a picture of that if I could,” Ben hissed, clearly seeing the slick droplet and chasing after it with the hand that wasn’t massaging her stinging flesh. Rey choked back a gasping moan when one of his thick fingers unexpectedly sank deep into her hot cunt, feeling for itself how wet she was inside. 

He groaned at the feeling and brought his palm down on her ass again while he slowly pumped the finger in and out of her quivering core. “Two,” Rey shuddered, trying to push back against the finger. Ben chuckled at the action and slipped a second finger in, the stretch delicious but not enough, and then the third spank came.

It descended back down upon the previously smacked cheek and the sting was more intense this time, causing Rey to drop her head into the sheets and whine out the pitiful number while his fingers curled deep inside of her. 

“You’re being such a good girl for me, aren’t you? Do you want to cum, Rey? Do you want to cum on my fingers while I spank this rosy ass of yours?” he questioned innocently. Nodding like her life depended on it, the mood abruptly shifted when he delivered her fourth smack and started really thrusting his fingers into her.

“Oh, fuck!” Rey wailed, a fifth and sixth spank raining down hard in a beautiful mix of pleasure and pain. Ben’s fingers were in deep, three of them now, and his thumb joined the party to start rubbing furiously at her clit. 

“You can cum when you get your tenth spank. Understood?” Ben growled out, all business and Alpha in her ear. 

Tears built up in her eyes, the euphoria coursing through her body almost unbearable as he worked her most sensitive spots like he was born to do so. Rey counted after every single hit, her orgasm just there. Just one more, one more spank, one more circle on her clit, one more shove of his fingers into her cunt—

_“Ten!”_ Rey screamed, her pussy clenching and spasming around three of his fingers as the best orgasm of her entire life washed over her body and blocked out her vision. And to think this was only the beginning.

*****

Rey's dress


	3. The Dresses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoy! xx

Rey was on her hands and knees, back arched and reddened ass sticking straight out as she listened to Ben unzip his slacks before shoving them to the floor. It was a dull thud, but Rey knew what it was all the same. When she felt the hot tip of his cock press against her still twitching cunt, however, she knew he’d taken off his briefs as well. 

“You’ve got the prettiest little ass I’ve ever seen, do you know that? It looks so good with my handprint on it… and this pussy. Fuck, this pussy of yours Rey is so wet and pink after coming around my fingers,” he told her, slow and seductive. She whimpered at his words and tried to press herself against his cock, but he pulled back with a chuckle.

Rey eased herself down onto her forearms and let her head fall as well, her forehead pressed against the covers of his bed as he began to slide his length through her heated and slick folds. She barely opened her eyes to take a peek at it.

He was massive. Thick, decorated with pulsing veins, and long enough to reach her belly button, Rey swallowed hard as she stared at the angry tip of his cock, weeping out precum around her cunt. “Please, please fuck me… daddy,” she added to the end, hoping her pleading would make him give in.

Ben groaned at her pet name for him, his hand pushing into the back of her hair and tugging it roughly so her back arched even more and her face was now held up to stare at the headboard. “Tell me how much you want me to fuck you, pretty girl,” he murmured darkly in her ear.

“So much. Fuck, please, I need you so badly. I want your cock buried in my cunt. I want to come around your cock and feel you days later, even if you aren’t inside me. Please, daddy, I need it. I’ll be good, I promise,” Rey whined, letting everything tumble out of her mouth before she could get embarrassed.

Ben twisted her hair around his hand, making a loop of it over his palm, and held her steady with a growl as he lined the tip of his cock up against her soaked hole and started to feed it into her.

A low moan fell from Rey’s lips and she tried to drop her head to cope with the incredible stretch, but Ben didn’t allow it. He just held her head up by her brunette locks and continued to push into her wet heat, inch by breathtaking inch. 

Rey felt like she was being split in two by his length, her cunt never having taken such a cock in her entire life, but she welcomed it all the same and fluttered her walls around him intentionally. Ben moaned at the feeling and finally bottomed out only moments later, both of them panting heavily at the new sensation.

“You’re so fucking tight, my pretty girl. If only you could see how well this ruined cunt of yours is taking me. You look stretched to your limit, sweetheart. Are you? Are you stretched for daddy?” Ben coaxed teasingly.

“ _Yes!_ Yes, fuck, you feel so good,” Rey whimpered loudly. Her hands fisted his black comforter as she gave a desperate attempt to thrust against his cock, but Ben held her in place by her hip with one hand and slowly dragged himself out of her.

The pull of his length within her pussy made her keen, a high pitched sound that caused Ben to hiss with pleasure, and then he was snapping back into her core with a sharp jab. “ _Ben!_ ” Rey all but screamed, her eyes flying wide at the feeling of him deep inside of her, scraping that soft spot buried deep inside. 

It didn’t take long for him to build up a punishing pace behind her, his grip in her hair still tight enough to ache while the hand on her hip quickly abandoned that position in favor of wrapping carefully around her throat. Ben definitely knew what he was doing. 

“Tell me who’s fucking you. Who’s got his cock inside of you right now, Rey. Hm?” Ben demanded huskily behind her. The sound of his balls slapping against the back of her wet thighs sent a shiver straight to Rey’s clit, and she moved her hand in an attempt to reach back and stroke it.

He snatched up her wrist with the hand around her throat and pressed it harshly back into the sheet, pinning it there while he draped himself over her body. Soft sounds of pleasure and overstimulation fell out of her mouth and Rey struggled to make sense of anything in her mind.

The only thoughts she had were focused on her impending orgasm and Ben Solo fucking her the way no other man had. This, in her opinion, was better than all the money in the world. When he shoved his fingers into her open mouth with the hand he’d just used to pin her in place, she cried out in a garbled voice, “You, daddy!” 

He huffed in agreement at that and let her suck numbly on his fingers before pulling them out and pushing them into her clit. Rey’s entire vision whited out at the new feeling and her fingers desperately clawed at the comforter while she tried to cope with the waves of ecstasy washing over her. 

“Please tell me you’re on birth control, sweetheart. Tell me I can come in this tight, wet, fucking perfect cunt of yours. I want to see my cum drip down your thighs with your own sweet juices,” Ben snarled into her ear. 

She nodded frantically and choked out, “IUD… clean… please, Ben. Fill me up.” If it was even possible, Ben picked up the pace of his thrusts and pressed his fingers harder against her clit while he swirled the wet tips around her sensitive nub, bringing her closer and closer to her orgasm.

The only thing Rey could hear was the sound of skin slapping against wet skin, Ben’s groans and heavy breaths in her ear, and her own high pitched cries escaping her mouth. “Come for me. Come on daddy. I want to feel this pussy of yours clench around my cock,” he demanded. 

That was all it took for Rey to scream into his sheets and buck against his cock, clamping and seizing around his length while she sputtered out useless sounds of pure bliss. A heated feeling of wetness trickled down the insides of her thighs and dripped onto the sheets below, but Rey’s entire body turned into a limp thing as he continued to use her.

Rey simply held onto the sheets and stared off dazedly into space while Ben shoved himself again and again into her sensitive cunt. “Fuck, Rey,” he finally grunted, thrusting the entirety of his cock deep inside of her and staying there as he tipped over the edge and found his own climax inside of her.

The warmth of his spend slowly filled her aching core, the tender walls still trying to come down from their own orgasm happily accepting his cum and holding as much as it could until it eventually spilled out of her cunt and slipped down her legs as well. 

Ben eased himself out of her, both of them shakily exhaling until they were no longer connected together. Rey collapsed on the bed when he let her go, but Ben was quick to curl her up against his damp chest still hot with exertion. They panted for a long time in a chase to catch their breaths, but eventually steadied out along the same time his cum stopped leaking out of her.

“You can buy me all the fucking things in the world you want… but nothing will ever amount to that,” Rey muttered after a few beats of silence. Ben chuckled at that and pulled her closer until she was halfway draped across his chest.

He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, savoring the taste of her one last time until she pulled away and gazed up at him with dopey eyes and a silly little smile. “You’re so beautiful, Rey. I’d very much like to do that again… and again… and again with you,” Ben teased softly.

She nodded with a hum and kissed him one more time before settling comfortably against his naked body and letting him bury them beneath his covers. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, pleasure and pure happiness coursing through her veins. 

*****

When Rey woke the next morning, it was to an empty bed and the smell of breakfast being cooked some ways away. She groaned, sighing at the dull ache in her lower half signaling the outcome of a good fuck, and sat up in the massive bed. Rey bit down on her bottom lip and let herself laugh for a moment to herself.

She’d never expected anything like this to ever happen in her life, yet here she was in a king sized bed that belonged to the millionaire investment banker she’d called daddy last night. Well, he definitely was _some_ kind of daddy.

Blushing at the thought, Rey peeled back the black covers of his bed and grabbed the white button up on the floor that he’d worn to dinner last night. It was somewhat wrinkled, but she didn’t feel like putting her gown back on— it was also on the floor in a heap— so she buttoned it up without a second thought.

The smell of bacon and eggs drew her out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen where the beautiful sight of Ben in nothing but a pair of black briefs stood in front of the stove. He was moving a spoon around in a skillet, probably the eggs, while the microwave spun slowly with the bacon inside.

Rey padded over as quietly as possible and surprised him when she wrapped her arms around his torso and rested the side of her face against his warm skin. “Good morning, sweetheart. Sleep okay?” he asked, continuing to work at the food with a new grin on his face.

“I slept amazing, thank you.” Rey beamed up at him, admiring the side of his face from a back angle before she pulled away and hopped onto the counter to get his attention. 

“I got you something,” Ben stated out of the blue, finally turning away from the fantastic looking mass of scrambled eggs within the skillet. Rey’s stomach growled before she could help it as she stared at the food. 

If she was being honest, Rey hadn’t had breakfast in a very long time. Her meal to start her day was usually a cup of coffee, lunch was typically some sort of sandwich, and dinner was a frozen meal or leftovers if Finn had made something. She couldn’t remember the last time she had scrambled eggs. 

“Rey? Did you hear me?” Ben asked, setting down two plates and looking over her with a concerned gaze. She snapped out of it quickly and turned her attention up towards him, blurting out, “What?” rather loudly. He frowned, glanced at the food, then met her eyes once more.

“I got you something. I’m having it delivered to your house within the hour considering I rush-ordered it this morning for you, so just have that in mind if someone rings your bell or knocks on your door,” he informed slowly. It was Rey’s turn to give him a confused look, her legs no longer swinging off the edge of the counter.

“What did you get me? Please tell me it wasn’t something insanely expensive,” Rey whimpered. Ben just grinned and plated up a rather large portion of scrambled eggs for her, turning to the microwave to pluck more than half of the pieces inside off of their tray in order to plop them beside the yellow pile. 

He extended the breakfast to her with a raised eyebrow that told her it was in her best interest to take the plate, that he wasn’t going to argue about this. Rey just huffed and accepted the fork that followed before digging into the meal. “I bought you a new phone. Yours was buzzing like crazy this morning and I may or may not have grabbed it out of your clutch to silence it,” he admitted.

Rey stopped the fork full of food halfway to her mouth and stared at him. “A phone. You got me a fucking phone,” she said in astonishment. Ben just smiled and pushed her hand upwards so that she could take the bite of food she’d intended to have.

“I told you I wanted to spoil you, Rey. An iPhone 4s with the screen broken to hell and back was definitely something I wanted to replace for you. Consider it a better way for me to get a hold of you,” Ben soothed.

She simply chewed her food and nodded slowly, trying to wrap her head around the fact she was getting a new phone. Finn was going to freak out as soon as he saw that slender white box get delivered to their rented home. Taking in a deep breath of acceptance that Ben truly did want to give her nice things, Rey returned her attention to the food in front of her.

She didn’t really care if she inhaled her food like someone who hadn’t eaten in the past three days, it was fucking delicious and she didn’t know when she’d get a breakfast like this again in the near future. “Do you want me to make more?” Ben asked beside her. 

Rey looked up at him, then back down to her now empty plate, then to his still rather full one, and then back up to him. A warm blush crept up her cheeks and she awkwardly set the plate down beside her. “Uh, no, thank you. Sorry, I can’t really remember the last time I had breakfast so this was… nice,” she confessed.

Ben’s face hardened and his eyes got a little darker as his jaw set, but Rey shrugged at his response and hopped off of the counter before grabbing her plate and fork. “What do you eat for breakfast, Rey?” Ben questioned, his tone rather strained and demanding.

Rey shrugged again and opened up his fancy dishwasher to place the plate inside. “Usually I just have a cup of coffee before I get to work at First Order and then when I get to Maz’s, she lets me have a sandwich for break. If it’s reversed, then I just have coffee for breakfast and lunch and try to have a big dinner,” she revealed nonchalantly.

When she straightened out after closing the dishwasher, Ben was on his phone and his plate of food was abandoned beside him. He was typing rather furiously into the keypad and Rey huffed at the lack of attention after he’d asked her a question.

The clock on the microwave behind him, however, had her nearly jumping out of her skin. “Shit!” she squeaked, abruptly leaving the kitchen in a mad dash back to the bedroom where she scrambled to gather up her gown and clutch and underwear.

“Woah, what? What’s wrong?” Ben rushed into the room after her, his own face a little panicked, like he wasn’t ready to give her up yet.

“I have a fucking shift at Maz’s in thirty minutes! Oh my god, I don’t even have clothes,” Rey exclaimed, tears starting to well up in her eyes. “I was late yesterday because of your car and my car and I can’t afford to be late again! Shit…” 

Ben’s hands on her hips steadied her for a moment and he turned her around only to cup the sides of her face and look at her deeply. “Maz Kanata. That’s who you’re talking about, aren’t you?” he inquired gently. She sniffled and nodded, gazing up at him with wonder on how he was going to fix this one.

“Alright, you just sit here for a moment, okay? I’ll be right back,” he promised. Rey blinked at him through wet eyelashes but nodded, clutching onto her things as she watched Ben leave the room and faintly start talking to someone. 

Leave it to her to rely on her millionaire sugar daddy to call her boss and make everything better. If she knew money was all it took to get out of being late to a job, maybe she should’ve been pursuing a business degree. Ben came back into the room only moments later and smiled softly at her.

“Well, I pulled some strings in exchange for stopping by sometime next week for lunch. Apparently ten years is too long to not see Maz. Anyway, I got you the day off so you wouldn’t have to stress,” he informed her gently. Rey sighed with relief and thanked him.

She glanced back down at her dress though and let out a sarcastic chuckle. “I’m still going to have to go home with this one way or another,” she told him, holding up the black fabric. Ben laughed alongside her and moved to the tv stand opposite the end of the bed to grab his car keys.

“Well, I’ll give you a ride home so the walk inside with that dress of yours will be shorter,” Ben teased. Rey agreed with a blush and a smile, standing up from the bed with all of her things gathered in her arms and his button up still covering her body.

*****

Finn pounced on her as soon as she stepped foot in their little rented house. “You’ve been gone for hours and I’ve been trying to call and text you! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did he try anything on you?” her roommate rushed out, panicked eyes running over her disheveled form.

“I’m fine, Finn! It went really well actually. Like, _really_ well. He wants to see me again and… he’s buying me things,” Rey admitted as her face turned red. She pushed past her now shocked friend and headed towards her bedroom, hoping she’d be able to change into something more comfortable and give her arms a rest.

But Finn followed her, as she expected, and Rey huffed with vague annoyance at the fact he had to know every single detail. “Buy you things? So I was right, then. He’s a fucking sugar daddy. Did he make you have sex with him?” Finn pushed.

Rey laughed at the last question as she dropped her things onto her bed, starting to unbutton his shirt. “He didn’t make me have sex with him. I was actually the one who wanted it,” she confessed. Now he was sputtering behind her as he tried to make sense of it all.

“You had sex with him?!” Finn gasped. Rey rolled her eyes and started to fold up Rose’s dress as nicely as possible.

“Believe it or not, Finn, he’s really fucking attractive and surprisingly nice. I really wanted to have sex with him. So I did. Also, we might be getting a delivery sometime soon or something, so—” Almost as soon as the words slipped out of her mouth, a ring to the doorbell occurred and the whole house went silent.

Rey and Finn made eye contact, a beat passed, and then they were both sprinting in the direction of the door. Finn beat her to it, swinging open the front entry only to see multiple sized boxes sat perfectly on the doorstep. No one else was in sight. Jesus Christ, Ben Solo really was something, wasn’t he?

However, Rey had only been expecting a small box capable of holding a phone. Instead, she found seven boxes stacked on top of each other with the Apple box right on top. Everything was wrapped together in a big, shiny red ribbon. “What did he say he was getting you?” Finn asked in astonishment.

“I, uh… a phone?” Rey answered shakily, though it came out more as a whispered question. She gulped and stepped past Finn, picking up the rather heavy boxes before turning back inside and taking everything to her room. He followed behind her quietly, clearly just as fixated on everything as she was. 

Rey started with what she expected, opening up the iPhone box to find one of the newest models sat comfortably within. “Fuck…” Finn breathed out behind her. She ran the tips of her fingers over its un-cracked screen and nodded with a lick of her lips. 

Up next were two boxes that looked like something meant to carry shoes, and as soon as she opened one of them, Rey choked on air and quickly slammed the lid back on. “What? What is it?” Finn questioned impatiently. 

“I’m going to fucking kill him…” Rey murmured to herself, shoving the two boxes to Finn so he could open them up for himself. One box contained a tan pair of Louboutin red bottom heels, the other contained a black pair. How he even knew her size, Rey had no idea. 

They both just looked at each other before turning their gazes back to the other five boxes. It was a mad dash then as both she and Finn tore through the white boxes and tissue paper within to expose five very different luxury dresses within. “I don’t even… I have no idea how to thank him for this,” Rey gasped out.

“What kind of sex did you two fucking _have_?” Finn asked with bewilderment. Rey slapped his chest for this, but he shoved her back and reached out to hold up the first dress in front of him. 

Bright red, and clearly meant to show off cleavage she didn’t have, Rey let out an audible whimper of disbelief at the tight, mini dress. The next one she unwrapped was thankfully more modest. With cream, satin silk and spaghetti straps, it vaguely reminded Rey of the gown she’d worn last night.

It had a slit for the leg as well, but stopped right above her ankles and seemed like it would be a bit more casual around her waist instead of figure hugging. “At least this one is alright,” she mumbled. Finn scoffed at that and Rey turned her attention to the new one in his hands, her jaw dropping open. 

“No…” The dress in his hands could probably barely be called a dress at all. Black, shorter than short, strapless, belted, and adored with a floor length skirt made out of faux feathers, Rey almost laughed at how ridiculous it was. “Oh God, I really hope he never has me wear that,” she moaned.

Finn didn’t stop his laugh, setting it back in its box in favor of a white babydoll dress with puffed sleeves, Rey sighed in appreciation that Ben had at least picked out two dresses she would be most comfortable in.

The very last box hinted at something shimmery and rose gold, and Rey hesitated to hold it up until she finally did. It was long, like the black dress she’d borrowed from Rose, and form fitting as well. There was no slit on the leg, but it was also strapless and off the shoulder— the top cape-like in nature as it fell around her upper back and the top of her waist.

“Well… it could be worse,” she decided upon with this one. The phone that had been discarded in the haze of opening everything else suddenly buzzed and started them both.

“Oh, shit, it’s on,” Finn hissed in fright. Rey reached out and picked it up only to find Ben’s number was already programmed into it and a message from him waited within the idle screen.

Ben Solo: Meet me at my office. 3 pm. Don’t be late. 

The time on her phone read 12:26 pm. She had time to get ready then. “Alright, well… I guess I’m going to visit him at First Order in two and a half hours. I’ll have to figure out how to thank him for all of this,” Rey muttered when she sat the phone down and looked over the new items on her bed.

“Ask him if he likes men, why don’t you?” Finn chimed in. Rey just laughed and playfully shoved him out of her room, locking the door gently after he’d left. She turned back around and rested at the door as her mind tried to total up just how much all of these things would cost.

So Rey did what she’d done with the damage previously inflicted on his car. She filled up her bathtub, looked up every single thing online, then nearly fainted when the grand total came out to $1,652.20.

*****

Rey nervously stood at the ground floor, staring at the elevator arrow on the wall that signaled it was coming down. In all of her life, Rey had never appreciated the fact she was short until now. She’d slipped on the white babydoll dress to visit him at the office, considering it was actually rather cute and casual, but she’d neglected to put on any panties. And a bra was entirely out of the picture. 

The small crowd around her that also waited for a lift made her increasingly aware of the fact she was bare beneath the tiny, white skirt that puffed out somewhat. At least she hadn’t worn the Louboutin’s. 

Finally, the elevator dinged open and Rey stepped inside with the rest of the group who took turns discreetly eyeing her. Sure, the dress was casual, but everyone here was mainly dressed in sleek suits and pencil skirts and dull tones. She stood out like a sore thumb, panties or no panties.

Rey was the only one who pressed floor 66, probably because it was reserved for Ben’s office, and she truly felt holes being burnt into the back of her head after that. One by one, slower than a glacier, the others in the elevator got off on their designated floors until she was alone.

The phone in her hand showed the time of 2:54 and Rey felt a small swell of pride within her chest at the fact she really hadn’t been late for him. As soon as the doors slid open to expose the short hallway with the receptionist behind the black desk, the nerves suddenly swamped her.

The last time he’d brought her here, Ben asked her on a date. What if he’d changed his mind and told her to keep everything but get out of his life? The receptionist glanced up from the desk and eyed her with a less than enthusiastic look.

“Hi, uh, I’m here for Mr. Solo?” Rey asked timidly. The black haired woman gave her a sickeningly sweet smile that had anything but kindness behind it.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but you need an appointment to see Mr. Solo. I have nothing scheduled for this time and… you frankly look a little lost. If there’s nothing else I can help you with, then—” One of the glass doors swung open and Ben stepped out, his eyes zeroing in on Rey and transforming into a dark gaze that screamed hungry. 

Rey swallowed hard and anxiously flicked her eyes back to the receptionist. “Bazine, this is Rey Niima. You’re to let her into my office whenever she comes to this floor, understood?” Ben barked out. The woman nodded with wide eyes and fiddled with the keyboard in front of her.

“Yes, Mr. Solo. It won’t happen again,” Bazine agreed. 

“Right. Why don’t you go take a coffee break, hm? Maybe you need something to wake yourself up a bit,” he suggested with a clipped tone. The receptionist just nodded and scurried back to the elevator that was surprisingly still stuck on their floor. Rey slowly moved forwards to his office, batting her eyelashes the entire time, until Bazine was finally out of sight.

“You look fucking delicious, pretty girl,” Ben all but growled as he took her in. Rey bit her bottom lip to hide back and smile and passed him, walking into his office with a small hum before turning around to face him in the middle of the room. 

“Ben, I… I really don’t know how to thank you for the things you got me today. I don’t even know how you knew my sizes for everything, but… thank you. Really. Those dresses are some of the nicest things I’ve ever worn— ever owned,” she told him appreciatively. 

Ben closed the door behind her and strode forward to cup her face into his warm palms. “Rey, the sight of your beautiful body in a dress I bought specifically for you is enough of a reward. You look drop dead gorgeous, though I think the tan Louboutins would have been a perfect pair,” he told her with a slight smirk.

It was Rey’s turn to tease him back, reaching up to grab his wrist and slowly pull it down to the back of her thigh. “The heels would have been pretty, yes. But…” she slid his hand up until his entire hand engulfed her bare ass and his fingertips rested where a waistband for panties should be.

Ben’s jaw clenched and he stared at her with a rather shocking intensity, his gaze punishing in itself when he understood what he was feeling. “But everyone at your office might have seen I didn’t have anything on underneath. And I didn’t think you’d want that,” Rey whispered into his ear, pushing herself up onto her toes and additionally against his chest. 

“No. No, I don’t want that. Go bend yourself over my desk, sweetheart. Now,” he commanded in a low and husky voice. Rey forced herself to pull away from his solid form, the scent of his cologne lingering on the dress as she sauntered away.

Doing as he wished, Rey bent herself casually over his desk when she reached it and folded her arms underneath her chin while her ass jutted out. Even from this position, she could feel that the skirt of the dress just barely covered her ass. Ben’s hand was there then, running over both of her heated cheeks in a leisurely mood. 

“You thought you could just walk into this building— into my office— with no panties on and expect not to get fucked?” Ben asked gruffly. The sound of his zipper being pushed down was like music to Rey’s ears, and the sudden wetness in her panties made her heart beat faster.

Rey licked her lips, pushing back into his roaming hand, before breathing out, “I came with no panties on specifically to get fucked.” That earned her an abrupt and sharp spank. She jolted forward with a small yelp and bit into the flesh of her forearm to stifle her sounds while she relished the pleasure-pain. 

“You’re a naughty girl, aren’t you? Wanted to come around my fingers in my car last night, wanted to be spanked before I fucked you in my bed, and now you want to be stuffed with my cock while you’re bent over my desk… in my office, no less. Tell me what you are,” he coaxed smoothly, rubbing out the ache from his palm.

Shifting around on her feet and feeling the first small trail of slick form on the inside of her thigh, Rey whimpered out, “I’m a naughty girl. I want you to fuck me while I’m bent over your desk, in your office.” 

Ben hummed in appreciation and the feeling of his hot cockhead registered against her throbbing clit as he pushed his length through her sopping wet folds. “You’re soaked already. Do you need me to push my tie into your mouth to keep you quiet or can you be a good girl and do it yourself?” he asked.

“I can do it myself,” Rey whispered, trying to push herself against his cock in desperate need. Ben positioned himself directly behind her then and slipped his fingers into her wavy locks, pulling her mouth away from the safety of her arms so she could reach out and grab the edge of his desk.

He wasn’t going to make this easy on her then. The office was filled with the embarrassingly wet sounds of Ben’s cock being guided against her dripping cunt and heavy breaths anticipating what was to come next. 

And when his tip finally caught against her little hole, still somewhat sore from the fucking it’d gotten last night, Rey whined softly and held herself still as he pushed all of himself in. “Fuck,” Rey mewled under her breath, gripping onto the edge of Ben’s desk for dear life while he let her tight heat adjust to the intrusion. 

Ben was just as thick and rigid as he was last night, filling every single space within her pussy until there was nothing left for him to reach. If Rey was honest, she swore she could feel the tip of his cock nestled right up against her cervix. 

“You’ve got… the tightest, wettest, pinkest cunt I have ever seen in my life, Rey. And I’m about to fucking _ruin_ it,” Ben growled behind her. Before she could take a breath to prepare herself, his cock was sliding out of her and snapping back in again.

“ _Oh!"_ she gasped, eyes wide and mouth open as he set a brutal and punishing rhythm behind her. The office echoed the sounds of his balls slapping against her wet thighs, her flushed core gushing fluid at a rate she’d never experienced before. 

“Be quiet, sweetheart. I thought you told me you could do that for me,” Ben groaned. Rey attempted to nod against the strong hold of his hand in her hair and resigned herself to soft, keening breaths instead. 

The hand he wasn’t using slipped between her thighs and found her clit without even having to search for it, the pads of his fingers pushing roughly against it and starting to circle. Rey whimpered at that, snapping her mouth shut quickly after, and Ben used his fancy dress shoes to kick her legs open more to widen her stance.

“Shh…” he whispered into her ear. The feeling of his button up and suit jacket rubbing against the exposed skin on her back sent a shiver down her spine, the thrill of fucking in his office in the middle of the workday only making her wetter.

Ben’s cock hit deep within her, pressing against the soft spot of nerves buried inside of her that actually made her shriek in euphoria. With that, Ben let go of her hair and pushed his fingers into her mouth instead, allowing her to suck on the digits as a distraction. 

He didn’t punish her in any way for being loud despite his weak threats for her to be quiet, but Rey wouldn’t mind if he decided to release her clit and spank her instead. 

“God, I’m not going to last very long today. The sight of you… bent over my fucking desk, this pussy taking every single inch of me while I crumple a hundred dollar dress… you’re a goddamn dream, Rey. Tell me what you want me to do,” he groaned into her ear, his pace never once faltering.

Ben’s fingers were still pressed flat against her tongue, a deliberate action she realized, and Rey felt her own spit trickle out of the sides of her mouth and run down her chin. “Come in me, please, daddy,” Rey begged, though her words were lispy, slurred, and muddled. 

A small puddle of spit pooled on the desk below and Ben started to pull at her clit, plucking it between his forefinger and thumb again and again while the familiar build of her orgasm started in her lower body. Her tiny, sensitive nub was singing with ecstasy at Ben’s ministrations and his cock remained relentless.

The hand in her mouth abruptly abandoned it, finding the square neckline of her dress and yanking it down to expose both of her breasts. “Ben!” Rey gasped, eyes hazy and eyelids heavy as her nipples pebbled almost immediately from the cold of his office desk. 

Ben growled at the cry of his name, his thrusts starting to turn sporadic and crazed, and he wasted no time finding her left nipple between two of his fingers before pinching and twisting it. Hard. 

Rey all but screamed at the sharp pain, her climax following almost immediately after and flooding her with so much pleasure that she went limp against his desk and resorted to high pitched keening sounds while he fucked her. Ben let go of the nipple, sliding his fingers back into her open and heated mouth.

“Fuck, fuck, _fuck_ ,” he moaned, shoving himself deep inside of her with a certain finality that could only be following with the feeling of his cum spilling into her. She whined when it started to slip out of her cunt and drip down her thighs, a twisted part of her wanting to scoop it all up and push it back in. 

Ben fought to catch his breath behind her while they came down from their orgasms, his fingertips leaving her throbbing clit and his long digits releasing her tongue after a few moments passed. “Please let me take a picture of this,” Ben pleaded, like a little boy begging his mother for candy.

Rey just nodded, blissed out, and let her legs bend in while she slumped over his desk. The sound of an iPhone camera capturing an image vaguely registered in her ears, but his hands were back on her in a soothing manner before she knew it and Rey sighed happily at his touch.

“Let’s get you cleaned up. Hm, pretty girl?” Ben suggested sweetly, leaning over her limp form to press a gentle kiss against her cheek. Rey nodded and let him take tissues to the mess between her legs, efficiently cleaning every inch of skin that had been soiled until she was smooth and dry.

Rey let him bring her back to her feet while he tucked his spent cock back into his slacks, the front of the fabric coated in her slick and his cum. “Sorry about that,” she murmured with a dazed grin and a blush. Ben just chuckled and pulled her against his chest, enveloping her in a hug.

“Mm, I don’t think you are. As much as this was definitely a surprise, and something I was hoping would happen, I actually asked you here to let you know in person that I’m going on a business trip over the weekend, but I’m taking you out on Monday when I’m back, alright?” he informed her gently.

Rey nodded and mouthed at his neck, savoring the taste of his skin after sex. Ben huffed in gratitude at her wet kisses, only pulling away from her when his cock started to twitch again in his pants. 

“Alright, pretty girl, why don’t you take yourself home and relax now? I’ll text you once I get off work and I’ll try to call while I’m away. You might get a few more things, but just remember I bought everything because I wanted to, okay? It’s all yours, all because I thought of you and wanted you to have it,” Ben reiterated. 

She bit her lip and nodded, leaning back up to kiss him one last time before pulling away and straightening out his suit jacket for him. “Okay, Ben Solo. Thank you again for the clothes and the shoes and the phone… I love it all. See you soon,” she murmured warmly.

He beamed back at her, watching her as she exited his office and started to head back towards the elevator. And if the sight of Bazine back at her desk with a new coffee and a red face wasn’t embarrassing enough, the feeling of Ben’s cum dripping down her leg as she stood in an elevator with others certainly was.

When Rey finally made it back to her rented home, she was feeling thoroughly fucked in the best way possible and warm at the thought Ben wanted to take her out again and buy her more things. What else he could possibly get her, she didn’t know, but she definitely wasn’t going to complain.

“Finn! I’m home!” Rey called out into the house as she stepped inside and kicked off her flats. The rushed sounds of feet against wood floors filled her ears and Rey barely had time to catch her breath before Finn was grabbing her wrist and dragging her towards the kitchen.

“Hey, woah! What is going on?” Rey cried, stumbling to follow behind him. When they finally rounded the corner to stare face on at the tiny kitchen before them, Rey’s face drained of color for what felt like the millionth time in the last twenty-four hours. On every inch of counter space sat paper bags filled with groceries. 

“Did he buy us _food?_ Rey, I take back what I said. I fucking love this guy and keep doing what you’re doing,” Finn begged beside her. Rey just stared with wide eyes and parted lips before hesitantly walking forward, her eyes catching on a white note stapled to one of the front bags.

_Maz may be an old family friend to me, but she certainly seems to be like a mother to you. Thank her for me the next time you see her, or else I wouldn’t have known what things you like to eat and what sizes you are. Enjoy— B.S._

*****

__

Rey's dresses


	4. The Drunk Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoy! xx

Rey had never been so upset that it was the weekend in her entire life. Her shifts at Maz’s seemed to drag on, and the only part she was looking forward to was the promised phone call Ben would give her at 9 pm once he was off work. It was already Sunday, though, and he would be back tomorrow, but Rey missed him.

That realization startled her last night when she crawled into bed. 

The only person she’d really ever missed in her life was Finn, but that was only because they’d grown up together and aged out of the foster care system beside each other. He was the only family she had, considering him a brother, so it felt strange to miss someone besides him.

Sleep had evaded her as soon as it sank in that she wished Ben was with her, cuddling her after a good round of sex. Or maybe… maybe just cuddling even. Rey had growled at herself when she thought that, shaking her head and scolding herself that their relationship wasn’t like that.

Right? Well, he had asked her out to dinner before the idea of sex was involved, but Ben was an attractive and wealthy young man who could get whatever he wanted. Rey allowed herself to accept the fact he probably just eased her into it, letting her think it was her idea to have sex in exchange for being spoiled.

And honestly, Rey didn’t mind if that was all it was. She was alright with that. Soon, she’d have her degree and she’d be free from the world of coffee. She’d have her own money, no need for a man to give her whatever she wanted, and then she’d just… say goodbye.

The pain that stabbed her heart at _that_ thought only scared Rey more. Maybe she didn’t want to say goodbye, even after she got her degree and new job. Maybe she just wanted to keep seeing him— keep _being_ with him. But that was stupid because, once again, Ben was an attractive and wealthy young man who could get whatever he wanted. 

That didn’t stop the sadness already in her, however. No, she still wished Ben was there for the weekend, wrapping her up in his impossibly muscular arms that made her feel so safe and warm. She could almost imagine her stiff pillow was his firm chest, but feathers were nothing compared to a solid chest.

Maz had only scheduled her from noon to 6 pm, much to her relief, so Rey was left with three hours to mope around the apartment while she waited for Ben’s call. He wasn’t a FaceTime person, preferring just the old fashioned call, and Rey teased him about being an old man because of it.

That had earned her a playful warning that if she wasn’t nice, she’d be in trouble on Monday, so Rey let it go with the small idea to call him old man again tonight. Ben _was_ eight years older than her, and if Rey was being honest, that kind of turned her on. Not that she’d ever admit it. 

She stumbled into the apartment with a sigh, her feet aching from her shift and her clothes tainted with the smell of coffee. A note sat on the kitchen counter and Rey snatched it up with a frown.

_Peanut,_

_Went out for dinner with the guy from work. You remember, Poe? Anyway, I won't be home tonight ;)_

_-Finn_

Great, even he was getting lucky and she wasn’t. A shower sounded like the best thing to pass her time right now, so she tugged off all of her clothing and started the water, scrolling through past texts while she waited for it to get hot.

She couldn’t help but blush at the last text message, the fact that he was looking forward to calling her made her squeamish in a way she’d never experienced. Sure, Rey had experienced a few good one night stands and flings over the last four years, but none of them ever made her feel this way.

If anything, she was always the one looking for the out and telling them she wasn’t interested in continuing on anymore. Now… now she just wanted to keep him around. Rey set her phone down on her bathroom counter with a sigh and finally ducked under the water in her shower.

There was still one of the luxury bars of soap Rey had purchased a month or two ago on the corner of her tub and she didn’t hesitate to pick it up tonight. Usually, she saved that particular bar for special occasions— like dates and job interviews and… other special things she definitely went to.

Tonight, she just wanted to use it because she’d had a long weekend and because she could. It was some citrus kind of blend, the one that made you think of summer fields warmed by the hot sun and lemon trees scattered in the distance. 

Rey had never experienced that, but that image always came to her when she used it. She’d bought three of these bars in a pack and this was the last one, a fact that tugged on her heartstrings while she lathered herself up in its scent and cleanliness. Maybe if she told Ben she liked it, he would…?

No, that was shallow of her. She didn’t want to ask for anything from him, she would only accept what he wanted to give. The shower soothed her aching muscles and the feeling of clean hair was a welcome one for sure. Now that she thought about it, tonight should just be a pampering night for her.

She had three hours to kill until Ben called and that left plenty of time to crack open a bottle of wine for herself and make dinner. With all the new groceries stocked in their fridge and pantry now too, Rey felt like she could finally make a decent meal that didn’t come frozen.

Her attire for the night was an old grey spaghetti strap tank that had shrunk in the drier and left a good deal of stomach skin showing and her favorite pair of cheeky style maroon underwear. Who was she trying to impress? No one. 

A bottle of red was her victim for the night and Rey didn’t even bother pouring it into a glass like a civilized person. Ben had selected this for her, some kind of Alexander Valley wine that she’d never be able to afford in her wildest dreams. She took a sip, let it sit on her tongue for a moment, then swallowed with the thought it tasted like every other red wine she’d had.

Oh well, if Solo wanted to spend good money on a bottle of read that tasted the same as a cheap one, so be it. Rey hadn’t had chicken paramagane in a long time, the dinner being the first thing to pop into her head when she searched through the fridge and pantry for inspiration. 

So, with a wine bottle in one hand and a box of spaghetti noodles in another, Rey got to work assembling everything she needed. Chicken? Easy. Cheese? Done. Red sauce? Poured. Mixed together in one giant pot on the stove, Rey let the smell of fresh and hot pasta invade her nose for the first time in a long time.

Now that she thought about it, she was having a lot of firsts lately. Missing someone new, eating hot food, washing herself with her favorite bar of soap, not having to work a full day shift… it seemed to go on and on.

The wine truly started to hit around 7:30 when she’d polished off a third of the bottle and stared at the finished dish resting deep within the silver pot on her stove. Rey glanced to the clock in the kitchen and frowned, huffing at the fact she still had around an hour left until Ben called.

Swig after swig, Rey nursed her wine and piled a heap of chicken paramagane onto her plate. She went back for seconds, then thirds, then finished the wine once the plate was clean. Somewhere between tipsy and flat out drunk, Rey managed to uncork yet another bottle and started on its contents. 

She pushed the leftover pasta into a tupperware dish and shoved it into the fridge, letting the pot and everything else sit in the sink with the promise she’d take care of it tomorrow. Grumbling about Ben and being alone, Rey flopped down onto the couch and decided a movie might pass the time.

This, however, seemed to be a rather poor choice as she put on Pride and Prejudice just to let herself wallow in her misery even more. It was just past 8:20 when Darcy asked Elizabeth to marry him despite the fact she’d discovered he ruined his sister’s potential engagement when she found her phone and stared at Ben’s number.

He was in a meeting. He was definitely still in a meeting. But the wine was making her head fuzzy and she hit the call button before she could think to do anything else. Ben answered on the fourth ring, though his greeting came after he cut someone off in the background.

“—just a moment— Rey? I’m in a meeting, what is it?” he asked sharply. Oh, he must think something was wrong if she was calling forty minutes early. 

“Nothing, I just missed you,” she replied, not hearing for herself how slurred and drunken her words came out. The other end of the line went quiet for a beat too long and Rey panicked, spewing out the first things that came to mind.

“I just missed having you around and I like when you cuddle me after sex and I get to wake up in the morning in your arms because I feel all warm and protected and you smell so nice and look so good and I’m just the barista, you know? I don’t even— I’m not good at finances and I don’t drive a sports car and I just wish you were here because I’m lonely and Finn is getting laid and I miss you,” she finished. 

Had she even taken a breath? Fuck, were those _tears_ rolling down her face? Oh, God… she’d sobbed out the whole thing, she realized. Ben still hadn’t said anything. 

“Fuck, _fuck,_ this was a mistake. You’re in a meeting. Go, go, I’m sorry. Bye,” Rey hissed, ending the phone call before he even got a word in. And just so she didn’t call him again, Rey threw her phone across the room and turned her attention back to Pride and Prejudice. The second wine bottle was finished before the end. 

*****

Rey was in the middle of a good dream when the dull banging in the background started to come through. It was the kind of good dream where everything was in and out of focus, sighs of pleasure and warm ligaments intertwined just vaguely registering, and nothing mattered but that moment.

The pounding grew louder, however, and the dream withered away to a black nothingness. When her head could take the hammering no more, she finally woke with a splitting headache and fuzzy eyes. She ran her hands down her face and heard her name called through the front door seconds later.

The clock told her it was nearly three in the morning and she figured it was Finn coming back home after all, probably losing his keys along the way. “Coming, coming…” she grumbled miserably. As soon as she opened the door, she was pulled immediately into a solid chest by strong arms.

“Mph!” she squeaked, blinking past her aching hangover in an attempt to make sense of what was going on.

“Don’t fucking do that again. Do you hear me, Rey? Don’t call like that and tell me those things, then hang up and neglect to answer me when I try to reach you,” Ben demanded in her ear, though his usual tough demeanor was flawed by a crack in his voice when he said her name— like he’d been worried sick.

“Ben?” Rey just asked, still trying to process who was holding her. He pulled away and held her at arm's length, both of them getting a good look at each other for the first time in two days. Ben looked a nervous wreck in front of her. 

His usual styled hair was messy and distressed, like he’d run his hands through it again and again, and his tie was undone around his neck. The top buttons of his white dress shirt were undone and his skin was pale. Even dark circles rested under Ben’s eyes.

Rey wasn’t sure how much better she looked, but the sudden churning of her stomach made her nearly double over and groan. “Fuck, I think I’m gonna throw up…” she groaned. Ben wasted no time closing the door and locking it behind them before taking her to what he assumed was her bedroom; he was right. 

She just barely made it to her toilet when the first round came up, the wine now somewhat congealed and brown looking before her. Rey winced and decided she didn’t want to look again. Quiet, but protective all the same, Ben pulled back her hair with gentle hands and held it back as she clutched the porcelain. 

“On a scale from one to ten, how sexy am I right now?” Rey tried to joke, another heave coming up afterwards. Ben chuckled and ran a hand up and down her back soothingly, letting her work it out on her own time.

“Sexy? I’d give it a three,” he teased back. Rey couldn’t help but grin at his reply. It wasn’t one, which meant she was completely gross, but it wasn’t a ten either… so _some_ part of this was attractive to him. They sat in silence for a while longer, only the sound of Rey throwing up every now and then ruining it. 

Once her sickness completely ran its course, Ben rummaged through her under the sink cabinet as directed and pulled out the store brand headache medication. He handed it to her and winced when she swallowed it dry without water, but Rey had no issue with it.

Ben helped her to her face, keeping an arm around her waist protectively while she sloppily brushed her teeth to get rid of the fowl taste and odor in her mouth. “Ben… aren’t you supposed to be three hours away?” Rey finally asked when she finished.

He shrugged and slowly walked her to bed, pulling back her covers and tucking her in after she crawled under them. “Rey, you… you said things on that call that made me drop everything and book the soonest flight available. Now I’ll go right now if you want me to, I won’t stay, but—”

“No. Stay. Please,” Rey whimpered, her voice small and timid. Ben nodded and shucked off his suit jacket and tie, working on his dress shirt next while Rey watched him and never pulled her gaze away. He smiled at the attention but turned around when it came to his belt and dress pants. 

Soon, he was just in his briefs beside her bed and Rey was scotting over to let him get in beside her. “Your place is small,” Ben stated pointedly. His brief moments of bluntness made Rey giggle and she playfully slapped his toned chest. 

“You wish you had a sweet rented home like this,” she teased back. He huffed out a humored breath and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest and keeping her there. 

“You told me on the phone you missed me twice and that you liked cuddling because you felt protected in my arms when you woke up. Do you have any idea what that did to me, Rey?” Ben breathed out into the quiet of the room. She shook her head, speechless, and silently begged him to go on. 

“I dropped everything. I tried to call you back but you weren’t answering. All I knew was that you were drunk, crying, and telling me you missed me and I wasn’t there. I didn’t go back to my meeting, I just grabbed my things from my room at the hotel then hopped on a flight and told the driver to take me here,” he confessed.

Rey’s hand made a loose fist on his chest and she carefully draped her leg over his hips, making herself small against him. “I’m sorry for worrying you,” she whispered against his skin. 

Ben just hummed and ran his fingers through her hair while the room descended into a calm quiet. “Why don’t you get some sleep, Rey? It’s been a long day. I’ll be here when you wake,” he murmured. She nodded and sniffed, closing her eyes as the security of Ben’s arms eased her mind.

Her dreams were filled once more of soft sounds and intertwined limbs.

*****

The first time Ben had seen her, it was three years ago behind the counter of the little coffee joint First Order had on the main floor. He’d never seen her before, but she looked young, not much older than eighteen if he was really trying to put an age to her face.

Ben hated coffee. He hated the smell of it, the taste of it, the way everyone in the world seemed to be addicted to it. If there was one thing Ben disliked more than the soul sucking job he had, it was coffee. 

But his feet carried him to the non-existent line just a little past six in the morning while Snoke talked his ear off over the phone. It was like this every morning. Ben woke up at five, took his shower and got dressed, then took Snoke’s call at 5:45 only to listen to the man complain about Ben’s work. 

Yes, at the age of twenty-six, Ben already hated his job like he hated coffee. Until he saw her behind the counter. She was small and petite in all the ways Ben loved and her long brown hair tumbled down her back in beautiful waves. She smiled as she set up the coffee corner for the day and Ben’s heart throbbed in his chest.

On the other end of the phone, Snoke snapped at Ben and asked if he was even listening. “Yes, sir, please continue,” Ben all but growled out as he approached the stand. The girl looked up as he walked over and offered him the most stunning smile Ben had ever seen. 

Snoke called him weak through the phone and Ben frowned, so he watched with great dismay as the barista mistook his lack of enthusiasm for her and not his boss. Her smile faded and Ben realized she was waiting for him to order something, so he requested the first thing that came to mind, “Black coffee.” 

He cringed internally, hating the way he hadn’t said please and that his order came out harsher than he wanted. Snoke went ballistic on the other end of the phone, Ben just humming along as he watched the girl— Rey, her name tag said— make the coffee he wasn’t going to drink.

She took his card and wordlessly charged him, telling him quietly to have a good day as she handed the cup to him along with the meaningless black plastic. And like the coward he was, Ben just turned away and took a sip before disappearing out of sight and throwing it as quickly as he could into the garbage.

That was how three years passed. He’d learned over time that she was nineteen when he first met her, but she was twenty-two now and still working at the shitty little coffee place in the corporate building. He knew her car was the golden Honda, a rather run down thing that reminded him of his father’s car, due to the fact she always parked in the front before he arrived. 

After all these years, he still only said two words to her in the morning that got him a coffee he never drank and he never asked her out like he wanted to. Rey was fucking beautiful inside and out and Ben never got the chance to ask her what he really wanted.

It wasn’t until a few days ago that he finally got his chance. At first, when he’d left the office and hauled himself out to the parking lot a little past seven, Ben didn’t see anything wrong with his hair. It wasn’t until he got to the driver’s side did he see the dent and scratch on his door.

“You’re fucking kidding me,” he hissed. Part of him really hoped it was someone like Phasma or Hux who’d done it just so that he could cuss them out and pick a fight, but the slight tint of gold within the scratch told him everything he needed to know.

And then it was the note on his window, a shitty chicken scratch letter on a napkin with a grease stain that said sorry i hit ur car :(, that confirmed his suspicions. Rey had dinged his McLaren. All anger left his body and he was left clutching the napkin, staring at the opportunity right in front of him.

The next day, he didn’t answer Snoke’s call at 5:45. He knew his boss would just schedule an in person meeting later to rip him a new one since he hadn’t picked up, but Ben was focused on the goal of actually talking to Rey… and getting the truth out of her. 

She was behind schedule when he arrived and she looked like a nervous wreck. It was clear what had happened kept her up last night as dark circles rested beneath her eyes and Ben could help but tell her she looked tired— you know, as a complete idiot does. 

He figured he blew it then, so he reluctantly took his coffee and left behind a tip that hoped would act as an apology instead. On his lunch break, he called the auto shop that told him they’d be able to fix it only to receive bad news. Angry with the car, frustrated with Rey, and frankly down on his luck, it was like the gates of heaven opened before him when he saw her leaving the building.

And she locked eyes on him. Ben had hung up on the auto shop and chased her down when she dropped her drink and guiltily ran away. He was nervous the entire time he talked to her, though he hoped he didn’t show it, and the truth finally tumbled out after a few minutes of discussion.

That, in the end, was how he managed to take her to dinner and stupidly put his heart on his sleeve when he told her he wanted to spoil her. Ben had never done anything like that for a woman, hell, she was the first woman in three years he’d gone on a date with, and her response… oh, her response… Ben was a goner. 

The sex at the end of the night had been absolutely fucking _mind blowing,_ and when she called him daddy, taking his spanks and his cock like she was meant for both, Ben finally allowed himself to acknowledge the fact he was in love with her.

From the moment he’d set eyes on her three years ago to that moment when she curled up in his arms and cooed in her sleep contently, Ben knew she had his entire heart. Now Ben knew he wasn’t very good at romance— he was his father’s son after all— due to the fact all the women he’d been with before Rey never stayed.

He never seemed to say sweet enough things or show a softer side, though he blamed that on his job taking everything out of him, and no matter how much he bought them, it was never enough. So Ben knew he wasn’t a romantic man.

That didn’t stop him from reaching out to Maz herself, an old family friend that Ben may or may not have hidden from Rey when she mentioned her second job at Maz’s coffee shop. Maz seemed to know everything about Rey as they messaged each other, but Ben swore the woman to secrecy along with his greatest thanks.

And that was how five dresses along with two pairs of Louboutins ended up in her possession the next day. She’d surprised him at the office on Friday in the casual one he thought would look beautiful on her, and he was right. The sex that followed was just as amazing as it had been the night before. 

He told her about the business trip along with the promise he’d call her every day that he was gone, but it was Sunday night that completely threw him for a loop. Ben and the rest of his associates were sitting in the conference room at the hotel listening to Snoke berate them all when his phone buzzed.

Frowning, Ben pulled his phone out and stared at Rey’s name on the screen. She was calling nearly forty minutes before he was done, and that concerned him. So he stood and excused himself while Snoke yelled after him, but her drunk voice accompanied by sobs caught him instantly off guard.

Rey rambled about how she missed him, how she felt warm and safe in his arms, and how she wasn’t in the same socio-economic branch as him. Ben didn’t even get to say anything before she dismissed herself and hung up.

Frozen to his spot, Ben had decided right then and there that he needed to go to her— job be damned. He’d dealt with Snoke for years, what was one more time? Restless and clutching his bag containing all of his things, Ben boarded a flight at 9:00 and touched back down in Chandrila at 2:15 in the morning.

The cab dropped him off in front of her home at 2:47 and Ben was banging on her door then. When she opened it, he couldn’t help but sweep her up and tell her not to do that again. He’d been there to hold her hair back, to tell her how he was feeling, and to watch her fall asleep in his arms.

Ben knew they’d have a lot to talk about in the morning when she woke, but he stayed awake for another half hour admiring her sleeping face. God, Rey was beautiful. She was so smart and hard working, too. She never asked for anything like his past girlfriends had and Ben actually felt like he was doing things right with her.

She liked the things he got her, marvelling over each gift, and Ben found that her genuine gratitude and awe filled him with a certain, dangerous pride. He wanted nothing more than to spoil and make Rey happy for a very long time.

The past four days, short as they may be, felt like a lifetime to him and only solidified his feelings for her. Ben wanted to watch her graduate, wanted to see her find the job she dreamed of, wanted to support her along the way with presents that made him think of her, and he wanted to be by her side through it all.

And to think a stupid little accident to his car got him here right now. Ben tightened his arms around Rey and finally let himself sleep while his heart swelled.

*****

Ben woke before Rey the next morning and eased himself out of bed while she grumbled in her sleep and wrapped herself around the pillow he used instead. Ben smiled and he couldn’t help but reach out to cup the side of her face fondly before tearing himself away from her side.

While she was asleep, Ben took the opportunity to stumble out into the living room of their little home and look around. It was small and homey in the sense that the walls were covered with pictures, paintings, art, and nick-nacks and the furniture was a mix-match of colors and textures. 

It looked as if they simply kept everything they managed to get their hands on and Ben let out a soft sigh at the thought of Rey hoarding inanimate things in fear she’d lose them. 

The small details she’d revealed through conversation allowed him to get a small understanding of her life and Ben knew, as he walked around the house, that everything he’d assumed was true. The groceries in their fridge and pantry were only the ones Ben had bought them— nothing else was there.

Her bathroom only had the necessary things like a comb, toothpaste, a toothbrush, deodorant, and medication. She had no perfume, no makeup, no moisturizers, and no accessories. The only thing that caught his eye was a soap bar that sat on the edge of her tub, something that looked like one of her little splurges. He made a note of that.

The closet contained eight shirts, three pairs of jeans, two pairs of shorts, and four dresses as he moved on to inspect it. Rey had a candle on the nightstand by her bed, one of the sickly sweet ones she’d talked about, but it was dangerously low and clearly hadn’t been lit for a while. 

Only a few pictures of her and another man were nailed onto her wall, but there was nothing else in her room but the bed and nightstand. He’d have to ask who that was— not that he was _jealous_ or anything, no. 

The living room walls had peeling paint, creaky floorboards, one couch, one coffee table, and one tv stand with a little flatscreen on top of it. When Rey told him those few days ago all her money went to her online college education, she really meant it.

As he returned to the kitchen to start on breakfast for her when she woke up, Ben came to a few decisions. One, he was going to buy her perfume, sweet smelling candles, and soap bars that smelled of citrus. Two, he was going to expand her wardrobe and give her a mix of elegant, sexy, and everyday outfits. And three, he was going to buy more groceries.

Rey padded out of her bedroom after he made her mental list and Ben’s thoughts seemed to short circuit as the view of her in nothing but his crumpled button up and her panties filled his vision. “Good morning. That smells really good,” she greeted with a sleepy morning voice.

Ben went weak in the knees but forced himself to school his expression and smile at her instead. “I made eggs and bacon, figured that might be nice for a hangover if you had one,” he revealed.

She sighed dreamily and hopped up onto the counter beside where he was working, swinging her legs as she watched him work. “We both have work today. Or, well, _had,"_ Rey pointed out with a wince. The clock read just past 11 and her shift at First Order would already be done with.

“Had, indeed… but I don’t mind,” Ben teased. She blushed and parted her legs as he moved in between them, gently grasping her hips and pulling him against his bare abdomen. “You look beautiful,” he murmured. 

Rey let out an embarrassed huff at the compliment but thanked him instead by weaving her fingers into his hair and pulling his lips to hers. It was a slow and sweet kiss, not anything that would lead to a heated fuck, and Ben melted into her touch.

She still tasted a little of toothpaste, but the unique taste of her mouth that made her perfectly Rey lingered as well. Ben couldn’t get enough of her. Abandoning the food that was resting on the stove, he slipped his hands under her thighs and tugged her impossibly closer to him.

Rey grinned into the kiss and only broke away from their romantic endeavor so that she could whisper, “I meant what I said last night. On the phone. That I missed you and I wished you were here because I was lonely.” 

Ben swallowed down the lump that grew in his throat and he wasted no time wrapping his hand around the back of her head so that he could pull the side of her face into his chest. They stayed like that for a long time, just listening to the heartbeats and breathing of one another.

“Do you want me to make you black coffee?” Rey asked softly. Ben choked back a laugh and let Rey go, covering his mouth with the back of his hand while she pulled back and gave him a confused look.

“Rey, I fucking hate coffee. I just got it so I could see you every day. I throw it out as soon as I turn the corner,” he confessed with a shy smile. Her eyes went wide and Ben had a small moment of panic that maybe he shouldn’t have said that, but her own smile broke out and she smacked him playfully.

“Ben Solo! Have you been planning for something like this to happen between us?!” she scolded through a laugh. Ben couldn’t help but blush at this and he jerked her forward on the counter so that her cunt could now press against his growing cock.

“Rey Niima, I have been waiting for three years to ask you to dinner. I’m not sorry one bit that you hit my car because it gave me the opportunity to finally have a chance with you,” he told her proudly, a happy glint in his eyes when he saw that it was her turn to flush.

She bit down on her bottom lip and wrapped her arms around his neck, wiggling against the subtle bulge between them. “Three years? And to think all you ever wanted from me was a black coffee… even when I had a crush on you, too,” she revealed.

Ben was having none of their hidden secrets anymore, so he wasted no time bringing her back in for one of their steamy kisses again that left her squirming on the counter and made his hands gropey. Just when he was about to tug down her panties and fuck her roughly on the counter, the front door unlocked and opened.

“Peanut? You home yet? I just got back from—” The man from the pictures in her bedroom froze as soon as he walked to the kitchen and spotted them.

“Finn!” Rey gasped.

“Finn?” Ben asked with a frown.

“ _Me_?” Finn weakly answered with wide eyes and a bewildered expression.

“I thought you were spending the night with Poe?” Rey questioned, nervously scooting away from Ben, who was still achingly hard by the way. Ben’s frown deepened and it was suddenly his turn to be confused.

“ _Poe?_ ” he inquired louder. 

Finn eyed him, his gaze both disoriented and suspicious, but he answered with a drawn out, “Yeessss…? Rey is this…?” Ben turned to look up at Rey with a cocked eyebrow, understanding from his trailed off question that he’d been talked about.

“Yes, this is Ben. Ben, meet my roommate Finn. Finn, meet my…” Rey wasn’t sure how to finish the statement, so Ben took the opportunity to blurt out, “Boyfriend. Rey’s boyfriend. You wouldn’t happen to mean Poe Dameron, would you?”

He ignored the stunned expression on Rey’s face accompanied by a creeping pinkness on her cheeks in favor of Finn’s new shocked look. “Uh, yeah. You know him?”

Ben chuckled and nodded, running a hand through his hair. “Oh, yeah. Practically grew up with him. He’s a good man, so you must be special if he’s having you over. He never used to have guys spend the night,” he revealed.

Finn beamed at this and turned his attention to Rey who was now quiet beside the both of them. “Ah, well, I, uh… think I interrupted something, so I’m just gonna… It was nice to meet you, Ben. I’ll see you around,” Finn said, stumbling through his words before he marched right back out of the house and left them alone again.

“Boyfriend?” Rey asked softly behind him. Shit, had he rushed it? They’d just barely exposed some of their secrets for each other and—

Her hands were suddenly on his shoulders and he was brought back to her lips to pick up from where they left off, and if she had to pull away for a moment or two to smile, Ben didn’t mind one bit. His hands found the waistband of her panties and they were swiftly removed from her long, tan legs without issue.

“Mhm, boyfriend. Although… I don’t mind the name daddy still,” Ben informed darkly against her lips. Rey whimpered at the statement, their excited mood quickly shifting back to the heated frenzy that had grown before Finn entered in through the door.

Ben mouthed at her neck, sucking dark marks into her skin while his fingers fumbled with the buttons on her shirt. “Damn… fucking… thing,” he growled. When it became too much, Ben just fisted the parting fabric and tore it open, throwing buttons and string to the floor while Rey gasped.

Her soft sound morphed into a loud moan in the next second when he latched onto one of her sensitive nipples, the pebbled peaks hardening under the cold morning air in the house. “Oh, _fuck_ ,” Rey panted, threading her fingers into his hair while the work shirt slipped off one shoulder and her toes curled against the cabinets below.

Ben’s hand groped at the other breast before moving to lathe at it like he had the other, his hand dipping down to slide between her soaked folds and feel the hot wetness that gathered there. “No fingers, just fuck me,” Rey groaned.

Ben gave a slight tug to her nipple at her request which earned him a delighted yelp of pleasure from Rey. His hands groped at her thighs and parted them further while her hands desperately pushed his briefs down so his cock could spring free. “Shit,” he hissed, lining the tip of his swollen length against her dripping hole.

“What are you today, Rey? A sweet girl? A pretty girl?” he teased, sliding his cock through her folds and letting the head catch on her throbbing clit. That would need to be attended to soon, he thought. 

Rey bit her lip and leaned in to wrap her arms around his shoulders, her lips just barely touching his ear when she whispered, “I’m your filthy little slut, daddy.” Ben saw red as he shoved all of himself into her in one sharp snap. 

She yelped, holding onto him for dear life as Ben pursued a brutal pace inside of her tight, velvet-soft walls. “Yeah? You’re daddy’s filthy slut? You want me to ruin this fucking cunt, don’t you? Make a mess of it… fuck you so hard you forget your name?” he questioned gruffly, one of his hands snapping up to grab her throat.

Rey whined loudly and nodded, her fingers digging into his skin, and Ben couldn’t help but stare at the way her tits bounced with the rhythm of his thrusts. “Tell me what you want, slut,” he demanded roughly. 

A dainty hand wrapped around his wrist, just to hold onto it, and she stared at him with half lidded eyes as she took his punishing cock. “C-choke me, slap me… pull my hair, pinch m-my tits, I don’t care… anything you w-want, daddy,” Rey pleaded through moans, gasps, and stuttered words. 

And so with his other free hand, he slapped one of her breasts before pinching it tightly and twisting. Rey screamed his name loud enough that the neighbors might hear, but the clenching around his cock just let Ben know she’d come from the pain. “You _are_ a slut, aren’t you? You’ll take anything I give you,” he seethed.

Rey nodded frantically, trying to fall against his chest as she came down, but Ben left her throat in favor of gripping her hair and keeping her head up so she could stare at him. “What’s my name?” Ben asked harshly.

She whimpered and tried to reach down to touch her clit as Ben pistoned into her soaked cunt, the tight walls still spasming from aftershocks. “Bad girl. Tell me my name and I might let you come again,” he hissed. 

“ _Daddy!_ Daddy, daddy, _please!_ ” Rey wailed, tears now forming in her eyes while he gripped the hand that had tried to snake down to her clit. With a growl, he tossed it away and did it his damn self, his own orgasm hurtling towards him and coiling in his belly. 

All it took was a few direct slaps to her clit— unforgiving hits that had her yelping and squirming to get away every time— until Rey was clamping around his cock and milking him from all around as she sobbed with ecstasy. Ben tipped over the edge at the feeling of her cunt gripping him and he spilled inside of her with lazy thrusts.

They stayed still for a few moments in an attempt to catch their breaths, Ben letting go of her hair and pulling her against him so he could hold her close, and when he finally pulled out of her used cunt, the sight of her cum mixed with his dripping down her thighs just made him whimper. 


	5. The Toy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoy! xx
> 
> The feedback I've gotten has been amazing and I love y'all so much omg hehe

It was Thursday, three weeks after Rey had damaged his car, when Ben texted Rey about some stupid summer gala First Order was hosting in an attempt to create more partnership agreements. 

He used words like venture capitalists, private equity, and pension funds, but Rey understood none of it. At the end of the day, he wanted her to be his date so he wouldn’t hate it.

She agreed with the idea that she could wear one of the ridiculous gowns he’d gotten her a few weeks ago, but she neglected to tell Ben which one she had in mind. He told her it was a black tie event, so very fancy, and Rey had secretly decided upon the rose gold, glittery one. 

It hugged her every curve and showed off her shoulders in a way she never thought could be sexy, but it _was._

All in all, the past three weeks had been _good._ Rey and Ben made Monday night their date nights, and they were usually followed up by copious amounts of sex that had Rey seeing stars and babbling incoherently. God, the things he’d done to her. If she thought about it too much, she usually left a mess in her panties.

They’d started experimenting with bondage recently, though it was mainly just with his ties and belts, and Rey was obsessed. One night, after a particularly lavish dinner that had her purring during the car ride home, Rey told him she’d let him do anything he wanted to her.

Ben had confirmed anything and Rey nodded, but she had not expected him to tie her to the bed and watch her squirm while she tugged at the restraints he’d created. Even the blindfold had surprised Rey and led her to make the assumption he’d been waiting for her to allow this. 

He’d tortured her with his fingers, just ghosting over her clit and barely applying pressure while she dripped onto his expensive sheets and wined for him. One of his palms had held her down by her belly and the things he said to her made her that much more desperate.

“You’re a whore for this, aren’t you? You want daddy’s fingers deep inside your cunt, hm? Look at you writing on my bed, your sweet little cunt practically aching for a good fuck. How bad do you want me to just slip one finger in you? Just one, for my dirty little slut,” he berated her. 

And of course, Rey had begged until she cried which resulted in the most thorough pounding she’d ever received in her life. The next morning, Ben bought her just about every single sweet smelling candle and bubble bath he could get his hands on. That, of course, led to her dragging him into the bath while she squealed with joy.

There were only two weeks left in her semester before she was an official graduate, two weeks until summer was finally here and she'd never have to take an online course again. Her nerves had steadily been growing as she worried herself into a tizzy about whether or not she’d get a good job, but Ben assured her she would.

He promised he wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want him to do, like maybe put a good word in for her at a few places he knew, simply because she wanted to do one last thing by herself— _for_ herself. 

Ben promised to hold some kind of celebration for her once she was done and Rey eventually gave in only because he wouldn’t shut up about it until she agreed. But that was still two weeks away, and she was still a barista at two places in order to keep paying rent and minimizing her student loan.

Speaking of the devil, Rey started to tug off her apron at the end of her shift when Ben came into view around the corner, his giant grin making her heart soar when she caught sight of him. Tallie waved her goodbye as she left before the lunch rush, but Rey was too busy hurrying to her boyfriend.

“Hi, sweet girl. How was work?” he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her in the direction of the parking lot so he could walk her to her car like he always did— a new tradition of theirs.

“Awful. My feet hurt and I reek of coffee, but at least I get to see you for a few minutes before I’m off to the next one,” Rey admitted with a dreamy sigh. Ben kissed the top of her hair and wove his fingers into hers, swinging their hands after he dropped her waist.

Rey took a moment to look at her boyfriend, this ridiculously hot millionaire who bought her everything she could ever want while also giving her his entire heart, and she could not feel any luckier than she did now. 

It scared her, this attachment she’d grown to him, and she knew she’d have to tell him the truth eventually— the truth about her foster care days with Finn, why she didn’t have any money to her name, why she never talked about her parents or the fact that she hoarded things in fear they’d disappear overnight.

Rey certainly didn’t talk about the fact that she was scared he’d abandon her too one day, just like her parents did, but she figured three weeks in might still be a little soon to dump that on him, so she said nothing. It was clear Ben had his issues as well.

She knew that he hated work, that his boss was most likely the brother to the devil himself, that he sometimes had issues with anger management, and that his relationship with his own parents was a little strained. 

They’d found a balance, however, and they both seemed to want to stay in it for a little while longer; on one side, the knowledge they both had serious things to talk about, and on the other, the ignorant bliss they’d fallen into that silenced the other side. Rey didn’t mind one bit.

“Alright, be safe driving and let me know when you get there, okay? We’re still on for movie night tonight, right?” Ben asked, opening the car door for her once they reached her Honda. 

She nodded excitedly and leaned forward to give him a short and sweet kiss, ducking into the car and starting it up. “You got it, Solo. Pick me up though, yeah? Not sure I feel like parking goldy here in your garage again,” Rey teased.

Ben laughed and stepped away from her car, closing the door once their conversation ended casually, then watched as she pulled out and started on her way towards Maz’s. Yeah, it had been a wonderful past three weeks.

Even Finn had started getting more serious with Poe, which still made Ben laugh at times. She’d have to get _that_ story out of him eventually. Rey couldn’t remember the last time she felt so happy with someone she was also intimate with. Sure, Ben spoiled her with everything she could ever want, but she liked him so much more for other reasons.

He didn’t have to buy her nice things or take her to fancy dinners for Rey to be enamored with him. No, Ben Solo was kind and sexy and giving and loyal. She really liked him, a dangerous amount for someone who feared people would leave her eventually. 

But that thought was forced back with the others as soon as she arrived at Maz’s, the little coffee shop only going to be her second job for a few more weeks. Rey could do this. She’d finish her degree, find a nice job, continue her relationship with Ben, and life would be good. Right?

*****

Rey curled up against her boyfriend and purred at the feeling of his warm body beneath hers. Ben’s fingers lazily trailed up and down her back while they watched some random action movie they’d chosen for the night, something with bald men whose muscles were a ridiculous size. 

For some reason, they really enjoyed cars too. 

“My parents are coming into town tomorrow,” Ben stated out of the blue. Rey heard the way his heart rate picked up as soon as he said it, and she knew that this was something he never brought up. 

She’d asked him about his parents over dinner a week after he introduced himself to Finn as her boyfriend, but the way his entire mood shifted suggested to Rey that she shouldn’t bring it up again. He told her that they were estranged, that they wanted him to be someone he didn’t want to be, so he took a job they didn’t like and they slowly stopped talking over time.

When Rey googled Ben later that night, she found out that his mother was in the world of politics, fighting for the rights of people who barely had any, while his father had been in the air force as a supplies runner.

In the end, Rey understood why Ben had drifted away from them. She found pictures of his family whenever his mother did political tours and the little boy standing in front of them that always looked so miserably sad. _Raised by nannies without really ever seeing his parents,_ one article had said.

So Rey didn’t pry after that, fully understanding what it was like to talk about painful family issues, but she was surprised when Ben suddenly brought it up. “Oh?” she asked, waiting for him to go on if he desired to, not because she wanted him to. 

Ben sighed heavily beneath her and cupped the back of her head so that she would meet his distressed eyes. He looked tired. Work had been taking a lot out of him recently, but Ben didn’t need to tell her that for Rey to know.

“Yeah. They’re coming the day before the gala so you… I might have to introduce you to them depending on what they want to do. That is, if you’re alright with that,” he amended quickly. Rey gave him a soft smile and pressed her forehead affectionately against his when she leaned forward.

“Ben Solo, you say the word and I’ll be there if you want me to be. I know your relationship with your parents isn’t the best, and you know I won’t ever force you to tell me anything, but if you need me for support, I’ll be right next to you,” Rey murmured gently. 

He visibly relaxed beneath her and nodded, reaching up to press his lips sweetly against hers. She sighed when Ben’s lips slotted perfectly against her own and Rey couldn’t help but wonder how on earth she’d gotten so lucky to call this man her own. 

They pulled away from each other, both deciding cuddling sounded nice, and Rey figured that was the end of the conversation until Ben started to speak again. “I… I know I don’t really talk about them much and I feel like I owe you that explanation,” he said quietly, apprehension clear in his tone. 

Rey kept her cheek pressed against his chest and trained her eyes on the tv screen, feeling like he needed to speak into the open air without her staring at him while he revealed something so important— but that didn’t mean she wasn’t listening to him, not one bit.

“You already know a little bit about my childhood. My mother was in politics and my father was in the air force, so I didn’t see them often. I was raised by maids and tutors, people hired to take care of me, so my parents never really got to know me as I grew up.

“I was what you’d call an angry kid, the one with the behavioral issues who traumatized the entire classroom if I had a breakdown. My parents sent me off to my Uncle when I was twelve, right before I was meant to start middle school, because they were tired of getting calls from the principal while they were away.

“My Uncle, he… he ran this behavior management academy. It was a small thing, only myself and a handful of other students, but I didn’t fit in there either. My Uncle believed in traditional forms of punishment when kids acted out. I’m not going to elaborate on that, Rey.

“I was so angry that my parents sent me off, I felt so abandoned and frustrated, and my Uncle just… he wasn’t kind to me. I stayed there until I was eighteen, getting my ‘high school diploma’ from his academy, but it was the night before I left that stood out to me the most.

“We were celebrating, me and three other seniors, and we’d managed to get our hands on some booze. Anyway, my Uncle found out after our little gathering was over and he came barging into my room. I was still a little out of it, so it took me a second to wake up and catch wind of what was going on.

“The last thing I remember was my Uncle, standing over me with a belt in his hand, and then I just ran. I left all my shit behind, so scared of being punished, and I never looked back. I withdrew all of the savings in my bank account that my parents had put there and I put myself through college, earning a degree in finance. 

“Snoke, my boss… he offered me a job with First Order Associates right after I moved. My parents tried to get in contact with me, tried to tell me not to do it— that they were sorry— but I accepted and I’ve been there ever since.

“I’ve only talked to my parents a few times in the eight years that I’ve worked for Snoke, but this… this will be the first time I’ve seen them since they sent me away at twelve,” Ben revealed, his voice steady but agnozied all at once.

_Eighteen years in total…_

The movie echoed in the background with some sort of explosion, but it fell deaf on Rey’s ears. Her heart ached for her boyfriend, the amazing Ben Solo currently underneath her, the man cradling her to his chest like she was the only thing keeping him on earth.

“Ben… I’m so sorry. That sounds like it was so hard to deal with, I can't even begin to imagine how that affected you growing up. I’ll be right there when they come. I’m not going anywhere, I promise. Thank you for telling me,” Rey whispered soothingly, moving her hand to rest it over his hard and work soft circles against his shirt.

One of Ben’s hands came up to cover the action, and Rey panicked for a moment that she was doing the wrong thing, but he threaded his fingers into hers and squeezed it in a silent appreciation. “Thank you for believing me,” he said with a hushed voice.

Rey’s heart broke in her chest. No one had believed him before— that he felt neglected and scared and hurt all at the same time. “Is there… is there anything you’re needing from me right now?” Rey asked anxiously. 

Ben shook his head and ran the pad of his thumb over her knuckles. “Just this. Just you. That’s all I need,” he asserted. Rey pressed a kiss to his shirt and made a mental note that his heart rate had decreased, pumping out a beat that mimicked a man who was relaxed.

This seemed like the perfect opportunity to talk about her own life, but Rey wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear that after what he’d just said, so she hesitantly questioned, “I could tell you about myself too, if you’d like? Since you let me in and all…” 

Ben hummed and squeezed her hand, shifting underneath her so that he could look at the top of her head while she spoke. “I think I’d like that,” he agreed. She nodded and started to internally come up with all the different ways to start her life story, but in the end, it wasn’t happy just like his wasn’t, so she sighed and began.

“I was abandoned by my parents when I was five. They dropped me off in front of the fire station like you always hear about people doing, and I was put into foster care pretty soon after. For the first ten years of my life, I was in a foster home with a man named Unkar Plutt.

“He considered the kids he took in to be ‘free labor’ and had us work out in his junk yard. We basically just scavenged for scrap metal and important car parts he figured he could sell. I was small, so I could get into all the tough places, and whatever I found directly correlated to whether or not I’d be fed.

“I thought I’d never leave until the authorities figured out what he was doing and I got moved. I ended up in a home with Finn, the roommate I have now. We became best friends, graduated high school together, moved towards the city where there were more jobs, and we encouraged each other to do online college together. 

“He’s an intern at some tech company now, that’s how he met Rose. Although, now that I think about it… he’s got Poe too, so… I need to ask him about what’s going on. Anyway, we’ve just been doing odd jobs for the past couple of years, though I’ve always been at First Order since we moved. I didn’t start at Maz’s until a few months ago.

“But it’s really just been Finn and I for the most part. Maz tells me sometimes that I have what people call abandonment and trust issues, but I don’t really see it. Am I scared people are going to walk out of my life or use me for their benefit? Of course I am. But isn't everyone?” she asked, realizing her life story had turned more into a therapy session.

“Don’t answer that,” Rey quickly demanded. She could feel Ben staring at her hair, his gaze seemingly burning holes into her skull, but she refused to look up at him and see his expression. 

“I don’t want pity, Ben. I’m doing just fine. I graduate in two weeks, I’ll get the job I’ve always wanted, and I’ll never have to see anyone I don’t want to ever again. It’s been tough at times, and yeah, I’m a little short for cash every now and then, but in my opinion, I’ve made it,” she murmured.

Ben’s grip tightened on her hand once more and Rey finally forced herself to glance up. “Hey… I’m going tell you exactly what you just told me. I’m here for you, Rey, and you’re so strong. I wouldn't even know where to start if I’d been in your position. Thank you for letting me into your life, if even just a little,” he told her sincerely.

She offered him a small smile and curled back into his chest, noticing that the movie’s credits were rolling while she savored the warmth Ben made her feel. “Should we put on another?” Ben asked from above. 

Rey shook her head and yawned, stretching out over his body when she realized how tired she was. “M’no… can you carry me to bed?” she asked, her voice sounding like a child who wanted their parents to pick them up so they didn’t have to walk.

Ben chuckled and nodded, maneuvering her body in order to pick her up bridal style and head in the direction of his room, the magnificent penthouse adorned by the flickering lights of the city in the background. Rey swore she’d never seen a more handsome man in her life.

The way he looked straight ahead in order to make sure he didn’t bump her into anything while his strong arms supported her did something funny to Rey’s heart. He cared about her, wanted her to be happy, and trusted her.

And damn, did he look good in just a plain white shirt and black briefs.

“Alright, sleeping beauty. Here we go,” Ben huffed as he set her down on the side of the bed she’d claimed for herself a week or two ago. Just as he was about to step back in order to round the bed and get on his side, Rey remembered that she’d brought a gift for him.

“Oh! Ben!” she cried, sitting up and catching him off guard.

“Shit, Rey! What?” Ben gasped while he clutched his heart in panic. Rey couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction, so she ended up just pointing to the overnight bag sitting on the floor across from the bed as she fought to catch her breath.

Ben huffed in amusement and padded over to the bag, picking it up effortlessly, before bringing it back to her and setting it down. Rey eventually got a hold of herself and rummaged through her clothes and toiletries until she found the tiny gift made up of cardboard and plastic packaging. 

“I know it might be a little silly, but I saw it when I went shopping yesterday and…” she trailed off as she pulled the gift out and handed it to him. Ben raised an eyebrow but accepted the small package, letting his eyes leave her face so he could focus instead on what she’d given.

The smile on his lips fell when he realized what exactly she’d gotten him and Rey immediately jumped into panic mode, sputtering out, “I-I can take it back. I know it’s silly and everything and it’s meant for kids, but I saw it and I just thought, you know, because I couldn’t afford to fix your car, I’d just get you this and we could laugh and—”

“I love it,” Ben stated bluntly, cutting her off and starting to pull the plastic encasement away from the cardboard backing. Rey held her breath, watching as Ben plucked the McLaren Hot Wheels car out from the translucent rectangle it had been trapped behind.

“They didn’t have it in black so I had to get red, but I like red so…” Rey let the sentence die on her lips once more and she tried her best to bury her smile behind her hands as she watched him handle the little toy car in his giant hands.

“Red, huh?” Ben asked softly, like he was making a mental note to himself, but then he just grinned and lifted it up so they could both look at it. “I love it, Rey. Thank you. I’m gonna put it on my nightstand right now.”

She blushed at how excited he was, snuggling under the covers after she set her overnight bag to the side, and she finally revealed her toothy smile when he set the car down beside his alarm clock fondly. “Now come here, I miss you already,” Rey called teasingly.

Ben wasted no time tugging off his shirt and climbing into bed beside her, although Rey wasn’t expecting him to get on all fours on top of her and dip his head down to press a deep kiss against her lips. “You’re a goddamn angel, Rey Niima,” he whispered against her mouth. 

Rey pushed her fingers into his hair and tugged him back down, moaning softly when he lowered his hips and ground them into her lower body. She instinctively opened her legs to accommodate his body between them and gasped at the feeling of his cock already hard against her belly. 

Maybe one of his shirts and a lacey pair of panties hadn’t been the best choice of sleepwear– or maybe it _was_ a good choice. One of Ben’s hands pushed the bottom of the black shirt up on her body and traced the delicate skin with the back of his fingers, the resulting shiver from her making him grin.

“You’re so perfect, sweet girl,” Ben murmured, pulling his lips away from hers as he started attacking her neck with the most delicate of kisses. Rey’s eyes opened and she stared at the ceiling in bliss, arching her back in order to press against his chest, vaguely aware of the fact that his palm was now dangerously close to one of her breasts. 

She whimpered into the quiet of the room when his thumb rolled over her pebbled nipple and continued lazily circling it. “You’re teasing, Ben,” Rey panted wantonly. He nipped at the soft spot under her ear playfully in response, but didn’t let up. 

Rey realized with a sudden smirk that two could play at this game, and she didn’t hesitate to reach down and palm the outline of his cock through his tight black briefs. Sure enough, Ben grunted against her skin and pulled away just to tear the shirt off of her before dipping back down with his mouth.

“Oh, _fuck!”_ Rey cried out weakly when his plush lips latched around the same nipple he’d been tormenting just seconds ago with his finger. They were working themselves into a tizzy, both of them panting and attempting to get a rise out of each other.

It wasn’t until Rey slipped her hand inside of his briefs did anything truly happen. Ben let out a pained moan and jerked the entirety of his body away with a sense of finality, the notion that he’d had enough with the teasing carrying over to Rey who stared at him with lust filled eyes as he shucked off his shirt and briefs.

“Take off your panties. I just want you tonight,” Ben huffed impatiently. She nodded and made quick work of her underwear, scrambling to tug them off her long legs and fling them to the floor with the rest of their clothes.

Ben was back on top of her before her panties could even touch the wooden floorboards and Rey drew her knees up to her chest, spread open wide for him while he stared at her like she was heaven itself.

“Fuck, you’re so beautiful, Rey. I can’t believe you’re _mine_ ,” he moaned, settling himself in the gap and lurching forward to capture her lips against his own once more. This time, Ben’s mouth was nothing but sweet and romantic as he pulled her body against his and dragged his cock through her slick folds.

Rey whined in the back of her throat at the feeling and wrapped her arms around his neck to keep him against her lips, rocking her hips in time with the mock thrusts he was currently giving her.

But when the tip of Ben’s cock finally caught on her entrance, they both pulled back, foreheads still pressed against each other, so they could moan into the small space between them while he pushed every inch inside of her. “Ben…” Rey gasped, squeezing her eyes shut in pleasure once he’d completely sheathed himself in her.

“I’ve got you. I’m here,” he cooed back to her. She really only needed a few seconds to adjust to his size these days, and Ben knew that, so he gave her the appropriate amount of time she needed before pulling out and rolling his hips right back against her body. 

A soft cry left her mouth and Ben’s lips were there to catch it, his thrusts slow and purposeful tonight, like he was telling her something important with each push inside of her. They shared each other’s breaths, jerking against the sheets at the same time, their heartbeats synced in perfect unison with one another. 

Ben whispered sweet nothings against her lips and Rey clung to his shoulders for dear life as he drove home inside of her again and again, each shove into her tight heat somehow deeper than the last.

He found all the spots she wasn’t able to get by herself and it didn’t take long until she felt the telltale signs of her orgasm sneaking up on her. Rey gazed into Ben’s eyes with heavy lidded eyes, her face flushed and lips swollen, and she didn’t dare look away when she told him, “I’m close.” 

Ben gripped her shoulder with a firm hand– his arm underneath her bicep to keep her in place against his body– while the other grasped at the pillow beside her head with white knuckles. “In or out?” he asked heavily, fighting for breath and trying to hold off on his own climax so she could come first.

“In. Fuck _, in, always_ in,” Rey gasped. He nodded and dropped his forehead against hers, seemingly staring into her soul as he picked up the pace and thrust himself rhythmically into her. 

They were breathless, completely entranced by one another, and all it took was Ben saying, “You mean so fucking much to me,” to push Rey over the edge. Her mouth fell open and her eyebrows knitted together in pure ecstasy as her orgasm hit her hard, her cunt clenching and pulsing around Ben’s cock in an unconscious attempt to pull him in deeper.

He swore under his breath and buried all of himself inside, the tip of his cock pressed right against her cervix, before the thick warmth that Rey had come to expect by now flooded against her walls. Ben groaned and scooped her up with his arms, practically crushing her frame into his while he rode out his orgasm, and Rey loved every second of it.

It felt like they’d become one person, their bodies locked and molded together while they panted simultaneously, their rapid heartbeats no different. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Rey whispered into the room, the earnest admittance slipping out before she could stop it.

Ben simply pressed his lips against her neck, letting it linger longer than usual, and rolled them over so she could rest atop him. They’d stay that way, still joined together, and though the words _I love you_ were left unsaid verbally, the implications of the words they had spoken hung over them until sleep overtook them both.

*****

“You sure you don’t want a ride home?” Ben asked as he tucked his button up into his slacks and glanced over his shoulder at Rey, her still-naked body wrapped delicately in his bed sheets. She watched him get dressed with a grin and nodded sweetly in the affirmative. 

“Finn’s going to come get me. You’re already running late and I’ll lock the door behind myself. I’ll be alright, Ben,” she assured contently. He nodded, clearly upset with the fact he had to leave her behind like this, but he tugged on his suit jacket anyway and ran a final hand through his hair.

“Alright. Don’t forget, dinner with my parents tonight and I’m picking you up at five. I can’t wait to see what dress you pick out,” Ben mused. Rey held out her hands for him and he chuckled, approaching her with quick, long strides to give her a goodbye kiss and tell her to have a good day.

He left the room right after, and then the apartment moments later. Rey sighed and collapsed back into his bed with a small bounce. Last night’s sex had been different from all the other times they’d fucked and it scared Rey.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like it, no. That was actually the problem— she’d loved it. Fuck, the things he said to her and the way they couldn’t look away from each other made her stomach flip yet again.

Rey had it bad for Ben Solo, and she wasn’t really sure what to do with that information. It was far too early to say the three important words every couple said, but her heart raced whenever she entertained the idea. For now, she’d just call it puppy love. 

Her phone vibrated beside her in bed and Rey nearly fumbled to pick up the heavy object, still getting used to the new device, to see Finn texted her that he was about five minutes away. 

Rey sat up from their disheveled bed and looked to her overnight bag for a few seconds before deciding she’d much rather ransack Ben’s closet. So with a cheeky grin, she padded into the walk-in area and snatched a light grey shirt off of a nearby hanger.

This one was especially soft, and extremely big, so Rey had no issue pulling it onto her naked form and rolling the sleeves up. The plunder of his underwear drawer came next and Rey was surprised to find he actually owned a few pairs of boxers, not just his usual expensive briefs.

She slipped on a black pair (no surprise), then gathered all of her things and quietly left his apartment. Ben had given her a key only four days ago, ‘for emergencies’, so Rey locked the door behind her with a satisfied feeling in her chest before riding the elevator down to the ground level.

As expected, Finn pulled up at the same time she stepped onto the sidewalk and she quickly clambered into his Nissan with a wide grin. “You look… like you’ve been thoroughly fucked,” Finn stated light-heartedly, not holding back on his observation while she shut her door and adjusted in her seat.

“That would be because I was thoroughly fucked, thank you very much. Also, something came to my attention yesterday that is of utmost importance,” Rey shot back.

In her conversation with Ben about family and friends last night, she’d come to the realization that Finn seemed to be talking to both Poe and Rose and he needed to explain himself. So, without waiting for his reply, Rey grilled him on the matter and watched him tense up.

It looked as if he’d seen a ghost. “Ah, well, uh… about that… the three of us may or may not be… you know… together?” Finn slowly revealed, though he finished his sentence with a question mark as opposed to an assertion. 

Rey gaped at him, holding back from smacking his arm because he was driving, but that didn’t stop her from squealing, “You’re in a three-way relationship?!” Finn flashed her a sheepish grin and nodded, taking the next right turn particularly sharp so Rey would be forced back into her seat.

“Okay, well, how is that going?” Rey pestered, still staring at her best friend with a bewildered gaze. 

“Actually pretty great. We’re really happy and I can’t complain about the sex, so…” he trailed off suggestively. Rey laughed, relaxing into the information the more it sank in that Finn was being serious. She clapped a supportive hand on his shoulder and smiled in the end, saying nothing else but letting him know she was glad he was happy.

The rest of the drive was filled with the music on the radio and the sound of wind whipping through the open windows in order to let the summer breeze in. “So, I’ve been thinking about graduation. It’s all over with in two weeks and… I accepted a permanent placement with Holdo,” Finn said once they were only a few minutes away.

Rey lit up at the news and beamed at him, excitedly cheering, “Finn, that’s wonderful news! I’m so happy for you.” It was the way he wasn’t truly smiling back, however, that made her realize something was wrong.

“That’s wonderful news, right?” she whispered, now unsure of her enthusiasm. Finn glanced at her quickly with a somewhat pained expression, like he knew something she didn’t, and Rey went cold in her seat.

“The position is further upstate. The, uh… the entire company is moving there. Rose and Poe and I… we’re all going to have to move with it. I won’t be able to live with you anymore, Rey,” Finn confessed with the softest tone he could muster.

Rey’s heart stopped beating and three things dawned on her all at once. One, she wouldn’t have her best friend around anymore. Two, she wasn’t going to have a roommate to help with rent. And three, she didn’t have the faintest idea of where she wanted to apply to work. 

“I… okay,” was all Rey managed to get out. Suddenly, not even the radio could ease the tense silence that washed over them. It wasn’t until they actually turned the corner to their street did Finn finally say something.

“Is Ben here?” he asked incredulously, causing Rey to snap out of the daze she didn’t even know she’d fallen into. She looked up from her lap and narrowed her eyes at the speck of red down the street, right outside their house, that looked extremely expensive.

“What the…” Rey trailed off when Finn parked their car on the other side of the street from it, their eyes both trained on the cherry red paint. 

“Did Ben get a new car? I thought you told me his was black?” Finn questioned. Recognition washed over her like a fucking icy wave in the Arctic ocean.

“Oh my God...” She sputtered, fighting against her seatbelt and scrambling to get out of the car so she could cross the road and look at the McLaren that appeared to be in mint condition. It was the exact same car Rey had gotten Ben— although this one was clearly _not_ in Hot Wheels form. 

She angrily snatched her phone out of her back pocket and furiously began to text her boyfriend, not caring if he was in a meeting or doing something important. As if being a finance investor really took that much work. 

Rey threw her hands up in exasperation at his answer and whirled back around only to run directly into Finn who had been marveling the car over her shoulder. “So? Is it Ben’s?” he asked curiously.

“No... It’s mine,” she growled out, stomping past him so she could hurry up the stairs to their home and lock herself away in her room. He’d gotten her a fucking car. Ben had gotten her a fucking luxury car. There was no way she was going to keep it, but with her Honda gone, she’d have to hang onto it until they could choose something better.

Hell, even a more recent edition of the Honda Civic would’ve been nice. 

As soon as she closed her bedroom door and made sure she was safe inside, Rey ran her hands down her face and tried to process just what was going on with her and Ben. They stayed the night, they went out to dinner, they made love, they fucked, they bought each other things, and they were both infatuated. 

It had been so long since Rey was in a relationship, and even then, she couldn’t exactly compare Ben to Snap from middle school. There was another thing weighing heavy on her mind too.

Ben had been so quick to call himself her boyfriend. They’d only known each other a few days before he claimed the position, and whether that was because he wasn’t sure how else to introduce himself or not, it meant something to Rey.

After he opened up last night, things seemed to make a bit more sense with that realization. Ben was just as starved for affection and trust as she was. He’d only wanted her company and to spoil her, but it was Rey who offered up sex and took their relationship to a new level.

Was that why it was so easy for him to feel comfortable in their fast moving relationship? Because they both wanted, no, needed each other that much? Even if the word love hadn’t actually been said, that was what she felt when she was with Ben, and she was certain he felt the same way.

He wanted her there to see his parents tonight, for fuck’s sake. And he bought her a car. Jesus Christ, maybe Ben Solo was just as whipped for her as she was for him. There was much to think about, and much to talk about with her handsome man, but for now, she’d just settle for a shower.

Finn didn’t bother her after she locked herself away and Rey took the time to really focus on herself as she scrubbed her body from head to toe, styling her hair for that night, and shrugged his clothes back on in comfort.

She’d collapsed on her bed with fresh skin and freshly blow-dried locks when her phone lit up, Ben’s name apparent on the lock screen. Rey picked it up quickly, noting that it was almost 1pm now, and unlocked the phone to read his message. 

Rey was out of bed before she even hit send. 


	6. The Parents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoy! xx (Also, upped the chapter count! Mind the new tags too)
> 
> Just a heads up, get ready for a bit of pain train this chapter :,(

Bazine glared at Rey as soon as she stepped off the elevator, staring her down like she didn’t belong on Ben’s floor. Sure, she was still dressed in his oversized grey shirt and a pair of black athletic shorts, but Solo was  _ her _ boyfriend, not Bazine’s.

“Mr. Solo is expecting a meeting in ten minutes and I’m not sure—”

Rey just strode past Bazine and opened one of Ben’s office doors, promptly shutting it behind her and cutting off the receptionist from whatever she was about to say. He was bent over paper files and spreadsheets, flicking his eyes from the desk to the computer with a tired expression, until he heard her entrance and gave a kind smile.

Her heart softened in her chest and she wasted no time crossing the glossy office floor in order to round his desk and sit herself carefully in his lap. “What’s wrong, hm?” Rey asked quietly, pushing a lock of black hair away from Ben's face as he leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

“Parents. Like I said, I just have no idea how to even act when I see them tonight. I know you’re going to be there, but these are the people who sent me away at twelve and didn’t believe me when I told them the truth about my Uncle’s methods,” he huffed with an exhausted air in his words.

She cupped the side of his face and pressed a sweet kiss to the furrowed skin between his eyebrows, watching the spot relax immediately after. “Ben. Just be yourself. You didn’t change for them back then and you certainly aren’t going to change for them now.

“You’re a wonderful, kind, hardworking, loving man and it’s their loss for sending you away and failing to watch you grow. I promised you I’ll make an excuse if you want to leave and I mean that. Be who you want to be. It’s who I adore, anyway,” Rey murmured affectionately, as if she was cooing a scared animal.

All of the tension and worry in Ben’s body seemed to slowly fade at her words and he nodded, bringing up his hands to hold her hips gently. “I don’t know what I’d do without you right now,” Ben admitted.

Rey  just grinned and leaned in for a chaste kiss, humming at the feeling of intimacy between them. Of course, that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to bring up the ridiculous car she definitely wasn’t going to hold on to.

“Mm… I’m not keeping that car, Ben Solo. I will happily go with you to find something more my style and let you buy it for me, but I don’t think a barista about to graduate from online school should own a McLaren,” Rey teased.

She grasped his tie and straightened it out, settling her amused expression upon the black fabric instead of his now - humored eyes. “You know, I figured you’d say something exactly like this, which is why I had my car salesman park that car outside of your house,” Ben revealed.

Rey gasped at him and slapped his chest, unable to stop the laugh of disbelief from tumbling out of her mouth. “Ben Solo! That has got to be the worst prank someone has ever pulled one me! Does this mean I still have my Civic?” she asked after chastising him.

Ben squeezed her hips with his massive palms and shook his head, raising an eyebrow out of sheer enjoyment at her response, before admitting, “No, that really is gone. But I’ve got the money for it in my desk drawer right there and I figured it could be put towards a new car. One I’m obviously going to help pay for.”

Blushing, Rey buried her face into the front of his suit, letting her hands slide over his shoulders while she rested against him. “You know you didn’t have to do that, right?” she whispered. He hummed and let his fingertips trail up and down her back soothingly.

“I know, Rey. I want to. Are you… upset?” Ben asked cautiously. Rey giggled and shook her head, knowing full well she probably should be, but Ben had bought her nearly every other luxury in the world and it wasn’t like she wasn’t going to start minding now.

“No, Ben. I’m not upset. Not anymore, at least. But I mean it when I say I want something more my style. I’m talking Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, something meant for a woman who isn’t a bloody millionaire,” Rey insisted. 

He chuckled and nodded while his hand slipped under the shirt of his she had on, the warmth from his palm filling her with a sense of tranquility. “Alright, sweet girl. We can go look on my lunch break, how about that?” he asked. Rey grunted in agreement and slumped against his body.

For a while, all they did was sit in his office chair while Ben rubbed her back and Rey dozed against his impossibly comfortable chest. It felt nice to have this small moment between them, to know that, even if one of them was anxious or upset with the other, they were able to work it out.

Rey had fights every now and then with Finn that typically ended in slammed doors and stirred up emotions, but they always apologized in the morning and moved on. This was different. They’d talked through it, come to agreements for each situation, and now they were perfectly content.

This was all Rey had ever dreamed of and more.

Until the com on his desk buzzed and the clipped voice of Bazine came through to inform him, “Mr. Solo, Armitage Hux is here for your 1:30 appointment.” They both froze against each other, realizing she was still very much in the room with him on his lap, and it was then a mad dash to get her stuffed underneath his desk at the same time Hux stormed in.

“Well, I’m certainly glad you didn’t bail on the 1:30 since 1:00 didn’t work out for you,” Hux all but sneered when he walked forward. Rey frowned at the man’s voice, knowing it from somewhere, and she quickly came to the conclusion this was the redhead she served at 7 am whenever she worked.

“There was a personal issue that needed to be addressed, Armitage. Why don’t you sit down so we can talk about the prospective business we’re trying to bring in?” Ben offered, his voice sounding drained and irritable. Rey didn’t like that sound. She didn’t like what his job did to his voice.

The other man scoffed, but the sound of the chair across the desk filled the room and Rey knew he’d accepted the invitation. Rey bit down on her bottom lip and tried to make sense of what was going on in the room, but all she could see was Ben’s incredibly long legs shoved uncomfortably beneath the desk to avoid squishing her. 

Now, Rey had read lots of erotic novels and stories growing up. She knew all about the ‘under the desk’ concept that many of these works had. Did that mean she ever thought she’d be able to try it? Not at all.

But was she going to, now that it was right in front of her? Absolutely. 

They were talking about investments and other boring shit Rey didn’t care about when she crawled forward and placed her hands on his knees, slowly pushing them up and towards his inner thigh. She heard Ben cough above her, but he did nothing else about her actions.

With a smirk, Rey carefully pulled his legs open and nuzzled the side of her face into the soft, squishy side of his left thigh while her right hand slid to the growing bulge in his dress pants. So this was turning him on then.

Rey had to bite back a grin as she palmed the outline of his cock through the black slacks, watching with amusement when his left leg jerked at the sudden touch. “Are you alright, Solo? I swear, you look worse every day,” Hux growled from the other side of the desk.

She did not like this Hux man. In fact, she was going to spit in his coffee the next time she made it. “Thank you for your outstanding observation, Hux. If you’d be so inclined to focus on the reports instead of my face?” Ben shot back. That made Rey grin. 

Her delicate fingers worked at the button just below his happy trail and she nearly squealed with glee when it popped open to reveal the small pudge of tummy that came out from sitting down. Fuck, did Rey want to kiss that little roll Ben had. Instead, she tugged the zipper down incredibly slow so as not to disturb the conversation above.

It was then that Ben’s hand jerked down and grabbed her wrist tightly, a warning that this was incredibly inappropriate and they could get caught. But her other hand pushed into his briefs and found his hot cock, with his allowance. 

The thick length throbbing within her grasp and Rey licked her lips at the sight of it, eager to taste him on her tongue. She’d only ever sucked him off twice, one of which also included having Ben eat her out, so she was determined to make her third attempt mind blowing.

Rey inched herself forward on her knees, her knee bumping into one of his polished, black shoes, and an even more wicked idea popped into her brain while Ben shifted in his chair. 

She grasped his shoe and pulled it to the side so that her cunt was right on top of where the laces were neatly done up, and then she was descending onto it at the same time her tongue licked a stripe from the base of Ben’s cock to the tip. Her usually professional boyfriend jolted at the contact, but he somehow managed to play it off as Hux kept yammering above.

Rey did her best to hold in her groan as she slowly rode his shoe, her tongue swirling around the tip of his length before suckling at the weeping head with hollowed cheeks.

The same hand that had grasped her wrist now pushed into Rey’s hair and she quickly came to the conclusion that Ben had some control over this situation as well. He pushed her deeper onto his cock, thrusting it far into her tight throat, and Rey had to swallow back the gag that threatened to be heard.

More determined than ever, Rey started a relentless pace on him, bobbing her head up and down while she lapped at the underside of his cock over and over. She traced the veins he had below his hot skin and she relaxed her throat as much as possible in order to take him further each time.

Her palms were flat against the floor while she continued to ride his shoe, the athletic shorts bunching up around her hips with each slide forward. Rey grew angry at the feeling and forced herself off of his cock in order to carefully remove her bottoms with the least amount of sound. 

Rey smirked to herself and tossed the shorts to the side of Ben’s chair, still out of Hux’s sight, but the breath that hitched in Ben’s throat let her know he’d seen it. She clambered back onto his shoe, the laces now directly below her pulsing clit, and sat herself down to continue riding.

Ben’s fingers twisted in her hair and guided her back to his cock, his poor tip leaking pre-cum and throbbing with the need to be inside of something. Rey, however, took mercy on him and swallowed the entirety of his length into her mouth.

He groaned above her and the room seemed to go quiet until Hux questioned angrily, “So this is painful to you now, is it?” Rey grinned around Ben’s cock and hollowed her cheeks like she would with a lolly pop, her slick folds gliding over the polished leather of his shoe and leaving a mess behind.

“Unbelievably,” Ben gritted out. She could tell he was talking about her and not whatever topic Hux had come in with. Rey tilted her hips a little, her clit catching on the rounded tip of the footwear, and she couldn’t help the whimper that slipped out.

Ben’s grip tightened painfully in her brunette locks, a warning, and Rey made it up to him by lapping every drop of pre-cum off of his tip with kitten licks. Daring to look up from beneath the desk, Rey found Ben’s dark eyes already on hers, but he had to flick them back up so as not to give anything away.

“Fine. Since this seems to be such a bother to you, I’ll take my issues directly to  _ Snoke. _ He won’t be pleased to hear about this, Solo,” Hux seethed. Her boyfriend said nothing back to the man, simply sitting in his chair and letting Rey suck his cock.

The sound of the chair across from the desk let Rey know that Hux was leaving, and a flash of panic coursed through her body. As soon as the red head was gone, Ben would be able to have his way with her. 

So with a last minute decision, Rey pushed her fingers against her clit alongside the soaked leather of Ben’s shoe and brought herself to her climax just as Hux opened the office door and closed it. 

She moaned around his cock, the thick length still buried in her throat, and felt smug at the fact she’d stolen her orgasm from Ben. Of course, her relief was short lived as Ben yanked her up by her hair and brought her back down onto his office chair so she was straddling his lap.

“You fucking slut. Pulling daddy’s cock out like that? Sucking him off in front of his co-worker where he could get caught? And you make a fucking mess on my shoe as well. I bet you thought letting that wet little cunt of yours clench around nothing would stop me from making you come again, didn’t you?” Ben growled.

Rey whimpered and nodded, her wetness leaking out of her at an embarrassingly slow drip and pooling onto the expensive fabric of his slacks. “Bad girl.  _ Very _ fucking bad girl,” he hissed.

She barely had a second to think before Ben was grasping her hips and pulling her straight down onto his cock, filling her up in one swift go and making her mouth fall open in a silent scream. But Ben didn’t let her adjust, no.

He simply lifted her again and again and again, pouring his need for release into each thrust while she bounced on top of his lap. “Do you want to come? Do you think bad girls deserve to come, Rey?” Ben asked darkly.

Rey whined and clawed at his suit jacket, praying that he would let her come, even if she’d been bad, so she nodded frantically and let him use her. “No. No, they don’t,” he informed her with a grunt.

His thick fingertips came down to her clit and rubbed the sensitive nub with a passion, the familiar coiling in her belly starting to build up yet again. “Oh, fuck… oh, fuck,  _ daddy…” _ she moaned weakly.

But before she could reach her climax, before she could clench around his cock and pull him deeper inside of her, Ben yanked his fingers away and let himself come with a low groan. “No,  _ no, _ please!” Rey cried, fisting his suit jacket while her cunt quivered around nothing, her orgasm ruined.

He, however, remained seated inside of her while his cum filled her tight heat and a smug look of satisfaction covered his face. “Are you going to do that again, sweet girl?” Ben asked, narrowing his eyes at her distressed expression. Rey shook her head with a whimper and fell against his chest.

“Good girl. Now, let’s get you cleaned up and go get that car you’re wanting, hm?”

*****

Rey smoothed down the cream colored satin dress on her body and double checked that she looked presentable enough to meet parents. She knew that this wasn’t that kind of meet the parents situation, but she was still nervous to see the faces that had brought Ben into the world.

Her phone vibrated on her nightstand and Rey pulled herself away from the mirror to read the text that came in. 

_ Ben Solo: I’m outside. I bet you look beautiful x _

She blushed at the small compliment, even if he hadn’t seen her yet, and Rey decided there was no more time left to make sure her appearance was alright. Finn was outside in the living room watching a movie, but his eyes snapped to hers as soon as she left her room.

Rey was still upset with the fact he was leaving, that she’d have to find a new place to live or seek out a new roommate, but they were talking at least. “You look great, peanut. What’s the occasion?” he asked as she locked her bedroom door.

“Uh, dinner with Ben’s parents,” she replied casually. There was a scream in the movie, the sound reverberating off the walls and pointing out the fact that their conversation had come to a halt for a moment.

“Oh? Parents? That’s a big step,” Finn said slowly. Rey sighed, her shoulders slumping in exhaustion because she knew Finn wanted to lecture her on the fast pace she and Ben were taking with their relationship. But she didn’t have time for it, so she just nodded and turned away.

“Yes, it is. I don’t know if I’ll be home tonight. Don’t stay up too late,” she tossed over her shoulder. Nothing else was said as she left the house, locking it up as soon as she closed the door, and Rey found herself missing the playfulness they usually had whenever they interacted.

Everyone grew up, though. It was just Finn who was doing so before her.

Rey pushed that thought out of her mind and scurried down the steps to the shiny car parked outside of her house, the brand new Nissan Ben had gotten her sitting right behind it. What a silly contrast it was to see such a normal, everyday car right beside a sleek Aston Martin.

She slid into the passenger’s side as soon as she saw his smiling face through the window, and the kiss he leaned over to give her on her cheek practically made her purr. “Ready?” Ben asked after she buckled up. Rey slipped her hand into his and nodded.

“Ready.”

The drive was a quiet one, his grip around her palm getting tighter and tighter the closer they got to the restaurant they were planning to eat at. Rey ran the pad of her thumb across his knuckles in an attempt to soothe him and Ben lifted the back of her hand to his lips more than once in appreciation.

The streets were bustling with other people, everyone going in different directions to different places, but Rey couldn’t help but feel that their destination was the most important one. She internally seethed at the people driving too slow and cursed others out when they darted into their lane.

None of them knew how important this night was to Ben. Even if it went poorly, it was still the first time he was going to see his parents face to face in eighteen years. Rey had never truly met her parents, she probably never would, so tonight meant something to her too.

Though, what that was, she couldn’t say. 

Ben pulled into the parking lot in one of the ritzy, downtown restaurants— a place that reminded her of all the dates Ben had taken her on whenever he felt like treating her to a lavish dinner. She honestly didn’t expect him to take her anywhere else at this point.

Even though he pulled into a spot and put the car in park, he just sat there for a moment with his hand still locked to hers and his eyes staring at the wheel. “Hey, look at me,” Rey cooed softly, reaching out to cup the side of his face with her free hand.

His chocolate eyes lifted and settled upon her, though it was clear to see he was anxious. “You already know what I told you. I’m here, alright? If you need me, all you have to do is squeeze my hand and I’ll be there to jump right in, I promise,” she assured him.

Ben nodded, taking in a deep breath, then pushed out of the car before rounding the vehicle to help her out of her side. Rey slipped her arm into his and let him guide her up the black steps as classical music from within the restaurant started to fill her ears.

There was no one waiting at the entrance with the hostess, meaning his parents must already be seated somewhere, so Rey gave his arm a few comforting pats in anticipation for being led to them.

“Reservation for Solo? I believe two other members of our party may be here,” Ben stated when they found themselves in front of the sharp looking hostess. The woman scanned her tablet for confirmation, then smiled and extended her hand behind her.

“Right this way, Mr. Solo.” 

She could feel how slow he was walking, his strides usually long and purposeful, but he seemed to be taking his sweet time as they got closer to a booth in the back of the room. 

Two silver heads stood out to Rey, their bodies facing away from her and Ben, but she knew that the couple whose faces she couldn’t see belonged to Ben’s parents. Even her heart seemed to skip a beat in uncertainty. “Here we are, Mr. Solo. Enjoy,” the hostess said in oblivion. 

How was she supposed to know how tense this meeting was?

The two heads turned at the introduction by the hostess and Rey finally set her eyes upon the older pair— a man with the same nose, chin, and hairline as Ben, and a woman with the same kind eyes and cheekbones as her son. 

Their hair was silver and their skin obviously aged, but they looked like a perfect mixture of the man Rey was currently holding onto. Their tired eyes flitted over to Rey and observed her with both surprise and apprehension. 

_ They had no idea she was coming with Ben. _

“Mother, father… it’s been a while,” Ben started as he sat down in the opposite seat and carefully guided Rey down beside him. His hand immediately found hers for comfort and she could feel his racing heartbeat through his palm. 

“Too long. You’ve grown up so much. I see you’ve finally managed to cover up your ears, hm? You were always embarrassed by them,” his mother said fondly, like a grandmother visiting their grandchild five years after they’ve been born.

But this was her  _ son. _ Her son that she sent away because he had behavior issues due to their constant absences. Her son that was raised by nannies and punished by his Uncle. Her son that was scared to see them because he didn’t know what to say to them anymore.

“Yes, well, hair grows over the course of eighteen years, I suppose,” Ben murmured, averting his eyes to the table. Rey felt like she shouldn’t be here to witness this reunion, but Ben wanted her here. He maybe even needed her here.

“May I ask who  _ this _ is?” his mother suddenly snapped, turning her eyes to Rey. Ah, so there it was. So quick was Ben’s mother to change from attempted adoration to annoyance at the presence of someone besides her son.

“This is Rey, my girlfriend. She’s here tonight because I asked her to come. Anything you want to say to me can be said in front of her too,” Ben asserted, squeezing her hand under the table.

Rey shyly met both of their eyes and offered a smile, but neither of them smiled back. Instead, they turned their attention back to their son and began. “You’re still working with that snake then? Snoke?” his father asked. 

_ Shoot… What were their names again? He’d told her… Leia and Han. That’s what it was. _

Han sounded like his son a little bit. 

Ben’s grip tightened around her palm and Rey had to try her best to hold back a wince. “Yes, I’m still with First Order Associates. It isn’t the most pleasant job, but it pays the bills and it’s where I met Rey,” Ben told them. 

Her stomach did a somersault when he mentioned her. 

“You would’ve been happier if you went into the Air Force like we suggested. You used to love going up in planes with your father when you were younger,” Leia chastised. 

If Ben was upset, Rey’s blood was  _ boiling.  _ How on earth could they talk to their son like this after all these years? Hadn’t they learned  _ anything? _

“When I was younger, yes. But I grew up and realized I had interests of my own. I  _ am _ happy— now more than ever— and I hoped we would be past my career choices at this point,” Ben huffed. It was Rey’s turn to squeeze his hand under the table.

He seemed to relax at that, and when the waiter came over to ask for drinks, they were promptly shooed away by Leia. 

“Well, you’re still young, dear. It’s never too late to change your career path. Speaking of young, exactly  _ how old _ is this girl?” Leia questioned, jerking her head in the direction of Rey.

“Twenty-two,” Rey responded tightly. She was trying her best not to get angry at them as well. It seemed as if nothing had changed, as far as what Ben had told her growing up with them had been like, and her heart ached for him.

She didn’t have a family— they’d left her behind before she even knew who they were. But Ben had a family, and it was clear they’d abandoned him in an entirely different sense.

“What does her age have to do with anything? Can’t you just be happy for me that I’m successful and I have someone I care about?” Ben retorted in exasperation. Han scoffed at this one, his eyes roaming over Rey’s now heated face. Ben’s hand clenched hers beneath the table and she met his intensity with her own grasp.

“You’re telling me you seriously don’t see what’s going on here? Son, she’s eight years younger than you, probably still in school, and you  _ don’t  _ think she’s only with you for your money?” Han pestered.

The entire table went quiet and all color drained from Rey’s face. She dropped her gaze down to her lap, biting down on her bottom lip to refrain from saying anything, but it was Ben who finally broke the silence.

“You know, I don’t even know why I agreed to do this shit. Did you two ever really love me? Did you even  _ want _ me? All my life, you’ve either just wanted to get rid of me or mold me into a person you could be somewhat proud of. 

“I think, even if I did drop everything right now to pursue a career in the Air Force, you  _ still _ wouldn’t be happy with me. You never had time for me— you never even got to know me.  _ Your son. _

“You sent me to a man who beat me because I was angry at the fact my parents failed me! After all the years, eighteen fucking years since I’ve seen your faces, I still had some small sliver of hope you’d come around and love me— be proud of me and see I’m my own man— but I see now that’s a cruel lie I told myself. 

“I’m done here. I mean it when I say I never want to see you or talk to you two again. Come on, Rey. We’ll get fucking McDonald’s on the way home or something,” Ben growled, tugging her towards exiting the booth after he’d told his parents off.

Their faces had turned pale and they looked as if they’d seen a ghost, but Rey herself wasn’t done.

“Why don’t you go heat up the car, Ben? I’ll be out in a minute,” she murmured to her boyfriend after squeezing his hand to get his attention. He looked between her and his parents, seeming to catch on, and nodded before letting her go. 

Rey slowly pulled herself out of the booth but remained at the head of the table, his parents now staring at her with what could only be contempt. 

“Your son called me this morning and told me he was nervous to see you. He told me that he didn’t know what to say or how to act with you because it had been so long. He was  _ scared. _ The boy you sent away, angry because his parents didn’t find the time for him, is the same boy you saw tonight.

“You should be ashamed of yourselves. Ben is the kindest man I have ever met. He works hard, he takes care of the smallest problems, he selflessly gives even when others don’t ask, and he… he buys black coffee in the morning just to see the barista… even though he doesn’t drink it.”

Rey had to steady herself, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over as his parents glared at her, like  _ she _ had the audacity to tell them who their son was.

“I pity you. I really do. You have no idea who your son is— and I don’t think you ever did.  _ What a waste… _ to bring someone so lovely into this world just to toss them aside. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go hold my boyfriend tonight because some people didn’t hug him enough when he was little,” Rey told them, her voice firm, absolute, and appalled all at once. 

She turned away before they could say anything, determinedly marching out of the restaurant, and she eventually trained her eyes on the silver Aston Martin heating up in the parking lot. 

The door was already unlocked as she slipped in the passenger’s side, but nothing was said upon her arrival. Ben was clutching the steering wheel so tight his knuckles had turned white, so it was no surprise when Rey reached out to pull his hand back into hers.

“I’m sorry, Ben. I’m  _ so _ sorry. Let’s go home,” Rey pleaded in a small voice. He nodded and let go of her hand to shift to the respective gears before taking it once more and speeding away from the horrible interaction they’d just had. 

They went through a McDonald’s drive-through like Ben said they could and Rey ordered for them, her humor at the fact he had no idea what to get a small thing compared to the severity of their night.

When they made it back to his place, brown bags filled with greasy food clutched in trembling fingers and hearts beating numbly in their chests, Rey quietly helped Ben out of his clothes. She undid his tie and pressed a kiss to the column of his throat before setting it on his dresser and moving to his suit jacket.

She popped the buttons open on his shirt and helped him into a comfortable black one that was soft to the touch, his slacks following soon after. Ben unzipped her dress and helped her out of her heels, his fingers fumbling with the thin straps, but they eventually found themselves on his couch, cozy in his clothing.

A movie was turned on and they ate quietly, neither of them knowing what to say, but the dam finally broke once Ben finished his fries and the credits started to roll.

Rey was there to catch him in her arms when he started to cry, his sobs filled with an unbelievable amount of heartbreak and grief. Ben was suffering, mourning the loss of the hope he’d held onto all these years— the hope that his parents would come around now ruined.

Rey had felt anguish, misery, and dejection before. She still cursed the fact that her parents left her behind like garbage every now and then, but this…  _ this _ was pure agony. 

Nothing rattled her more than the sight of the man she considered invincible grasping her body like it was the only thing holding him to earth, the only thing that could heal his devastation. 

Ben cried until her shirt was soaked and coated in a mixture of drool and snot. There was nothing attractive about pain. It turned the best people into ghosts, made the strongest hearts whither to black dust, and knocked the tallest standing bodies to the floor— spitting on them just because it could. 

Rey couldn’t help it when she started to cry too. She cradled Ben to her chest and weaved her nimble fingers into his raven locks, massaging his scalp like she knew he liked. She rubbed his back slowly and buried her nose into his hair every now and then so she could place a comforting kiss to the same spot.

Ben calmed down eventually, his sniffles and gasps for breath tapering off while her shirt began to dry at a glacial pace. His arms went limp around her torso, and yet, Rey still held onto him even after he fell asleep.

*****

The next morning, Rey woke to the feeling of something heavy on her chest and eyes on her face. She blinked back sleep and settled her gaze upon the man still resting on top of her, his eyes puffy from crying and his hair a mess from all of the attention Rey had given it. 

“Do you have work today?” Ben asked in his usual gruff morning voice. Rey loved his voice whenever he woke up, its raspy yet soothing sound easing her mind. 

“From noon to five today. But I’ll be ready for the gala, I promise. Are you sure you still want to go?” she questioned, pushing her fingers through his hair. Ben dropped his head back down against her chest and wrapped his arms protectively around her waist.

It had been an extremely difficult night for him and Rey didn’t know if he really wanted to do anything today. She didn’t know if he was still upset about it. “No, I want to go. I want to show you off to everyone and have a nice night with you. Last night was…” 

He trailed off but Rey knew what he was going to say. “—A nightmare, I know. I’m so sorry, Ben. I had no idea it was going to go that way,” Rey murmured to him. Ben nodded slowly and pressed a kiss beneath her collarbone, still holding onto her without any intention of getting up.

“You’re welcome to come to Maz’s with me and just sit around drinking coffee for five hours if you want,” Rey teased. She hadn’t meant it literally, but Ben looked up at her like she just offered him the fucking galaxy and her heart couldn’t help but melt at the expression.

“Okay, yeah. I’d like that,” he agreed readily.

“Ben, you  _ hate _ coffee,” Rey pointed out to him. He frowned at this but clambered off of her body anyway, seemingly unbothered by that small detail about himself. Before Ben could turn away to get changed, however, Rey reached out and clasped her fingers around his wrist.

“Hey, come back for a second,” she begged gently. Ben furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the sudden shift of mood but sat back down on the couch in front of her anyway.

“If you want to talk about…  _ it, _ you know I’m here to listen, right? We don’t have to move on to something else so quickly if there’s something you still want to get off your chest, Ben,” she assured him. 

He bit at his bottom lip and extended his hand to hers, lacing their fingers together while he averted his eyes to the couch cushion between them. Rey was patient, sensing that there was clearly something he wanted to say, so she remained quiet and let him process his emotions.

Ben finally let out a long sigh as he ran the pad of his thumb over her knuckles, his eyes still on the couch. “Honestly, Rey? I think I always knew it would be like this. It just hurt to actually have it happen. I don’t… I don’t think I want to talk about it right now. Not for a few days, at least,” he told her honestly. 

Rey squeezed his hand, her heart filled with nothing but understanding, and she leaned in to give him a short kiss for comfort. “Alright then. We’ll talk about it when you want to. Now go get dressed into something other than a suit,” she chided playfully.

Ben grinned and pulled away from the couch to hurry towards the bedroom, leaving Rey alone with her thoughts for a moment. Her shirt was still somewhat damp from his tears, the inability to be aired out obviously the culprit, but Rey forced herself not to stare at the crumpled fabric for too long.

  
No— tonight, they were going to go to his fancy gala and socialize with all of his fellow employees and then possibly have mind blowing sex afterwards. Today was going to be a good day.  _ It had to be. _


	7. The Gala

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHO'S READY FOR THE ANGST TRAIN TO TAKE OFF????

Finn was waiting for her on the couch as soon as she returned from her shift at Maz’s. True to his word, Ben had stayed the entire time and decided to catch up on work emails while he sipped at a brand new hot chocolate that was brought to him every hour or so.

Rey had caught her boyfriend’s eyes too many times to count and Maz had even smacked her with a towel because of it. The old woman chatted with Ben for a rather long time as well, and when Rey asked about it, Maz informed her she was old friends with his parents.

How a woman as kind and outgoing as Maz ended up as an old friend to Ben’s less than likeable parents was beyond Rey, but she didn’t press about it. 

Instead, she simply worked her shift, brewed some coffee, and received a tip every now and then. She promised Ben that she would be ready by seven when he came to pick her up, so Rey was less than thrilled to see Finn sitting on the couch in that certain way he sometimes did when he wanted to talk.

“Finn, I really don’t have time to—”

“I wanted to apologize. I talked to Poe and Rose about what I said to you and they told me I should’ve told you sooner and that I completely neglected to take into account that you’d be left without a roommate and you’d probably have to move out and everything,” her roommate rushed out. 

Rey’s shoulders sagged as she hung up her purse on the walk in hooks, but she was unsure if it was because she was tired or because it was nice to finally hear him understand what she’d been thinking. 

“I wish you would’ve told me sooner, yeah. I don’t… I don’t have a job yet lined up for myself and I have no idea what to do with either moving or finding another roommate,” she admitted. Finn stood up from the couch and walked over to where she was in the entryway. 

“What about Ben? You two seem to be doing really well, I mean… couldn’t you move in there or him move here?” he asked. Rey nearly laughed in his face.

_ “Finn.  _ We’ve barely been dating for a month. I mean, yeah, we moved pretty quickly with the whole labeling and meeting the parents, but I can assure you the former was easy to slip in to and the latter will never fucking happen again,” Rey said.

Her best friend frowned at the last sentence but decided to ignore it as he followed her into her bedroom and leaned against the frame. “I just… I don’t really know what to tell you other than I’m sorry then, Peanut,” Finn murmured.

Rey sighed heavily and knew that he truly meant it, that he hadn’t intended to hurt her with the information that he’d be moving away, but it still sucked in the end and she was the one who was going to suffer from it. “When do you move out?” she asked, neglecting the idea of telling him it was alright. 

Finn hesitated for a moment but softly confessed, “Three days after graduation.” 

The air left Rey’s lungs and she deflated, sitting down on the edge of her bed while she stared at her feet resting numbly against the carpet. “Right. Okay. I’ll… figure something out,” she whispered. “I have to get ready for Ben’s, uh, thing, so…”

She trailed off, refusing to look up, but the gentle closing of her door let her know that Finn had left her alone without saying anything else. Rey would have to start looking for job openings, then. She’d need to interview and scout out areas and think of budgeting even more than she already was in case she had to cover another month of rent. 

God forbid another  _ two months.  _

A dark place in her mind whispered to her that Ben would take care of it if she asked him for money, or to be a reference on applications. Rey quickly shut that down. She hadn’t asked him for anything yet and she wasn’t about to start.

Ben was the one who wanted to spoil her, so she was going to let him get her whatever he wanted and she was gladly going to accept his gifts. Speaking of, Rey had a gala to be getting ready for. 

As she shaved her legs and washed her hair, Rey shakily polished what she hoped was a decent enough resume and started to look up jobs that were hiring in the area. She might have nicked herself in a few places while she scrolled through numerous listings, but she figured the dress would cover whatever she dinged up.

There were a few jobs that caught her eye, so she sent them her resume along with the application and continued on, but when she eventually came across the second to last job opening, Rey nearly jumped out of the bathtub to go and interview right then and there.

A garage called  _ Chewie’s _ was looking for someone to help put together old cars, rebuild them so they’d be as good as new, and Rey was hooked. She hurriedly applied and clambered out of the bathtub with a new bounce in her step as she continued to get ready.

Sure, the job didn’t pay as much as some of the others, but it certainly paid a hell of a lot more than what she was currently making— enough where she could continue to keep her rented home without a roommate. Rey decided she’d tell Ben about the job tonight, something to get him excited after yesterday’s shit show.

By the time she was finished putting on her makeup and curling her hair in the way she rarely did, Rey was nervous as she stared at the glimmering dress hung up in her closet. She bit down on her bottom lip and turned back to her bed to snatch up her phone so she could hurriedly text Ben about her anxieties. 

With a small huff, but her heart warmed at his kind words, Rey shrugged off the towel she had wrapped around her body and carefully pulled the rose gold gown off of the hanger. 

It felt like silk on her skin when she tugged it onto her body and the zipper was thankfully low enough in the back that she could tug it up all by herself. When Rey turned to face the full body mirror on the back of her door, she had to stop herself from crying.

Rey had never seen herself look so beautiful before. Never in her entire life did she think she’d be able to pull off a dress like this, let alone have the opportunity to  _ wear _ anything like it in public. 

If she could give Ben credit for anything, it would be that he definitely knew what dresses to order for her. Rey certainly wasn’t going to complain if he got her any more. Her palms ran over her waist and to the tops of her thighs, her fingertips bumping the miniscule rhinestones along the way.

When she turned left and right to assess the side view of herself, the little gems sparkled under the light of her ceiling fan and sent a smattering of gold circles onto her walls. Rey couldn’t help the small squeal that came out of her.

Tonight was going to be great and she eagerly awaited Ben’s text that told her he was there while she tugged on her shoes. And when it finally came, Rey took in a deep breath before exiting her bedroom and heading towards the front door.

*****

Ben looked at her for the millionth time during the drive to First Order Associates, his eyes dark and his gaze suggestive. “You’re  _ not _ ruining this dress,” Rey scolded him when he glanced over yet again. Her boyfriend scowled and adjusted in the seat of his car.

“I know that. You just look absolutely stunning, Rey. I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep my hands off of you during dinner. Certainly not when we dance,” he admitted. 

_ Dinner and a dance? Well, it wasn’t like Rey had ever been to a gala before. _

“Well, keep it appropriate. I’d like to make a nice impression with all of your co-workers,” Rey teased. Ben laughed out loud at that one as he turned onto the street that contained the corporate building. 

“As if you kept it appropriate around one of my co-workers specifically, say, I don’t know, yesterday afternoon?” Ben shot back with a teasing tone. She lightly smacked the side of his arms and accepted the warmth that grew throughout her cheeks, turning her entire face red.

She was nervous, though. There were so many people Ben worked with that she didn’t know of, like his boss, Snoke, for one. Ben complained often about his job and the people he worked with, but everytime Rey suggested he find somewhere better to work, Ben just changed the subject.

Rey figured it had something to do with his boss, the one that always seemed to have a call for him and kept her boyfriend on a metaphorical leash.

She wouldn’t be excited to meet that man tonight if she had to. 

They pulled into the parking lot of First Order Associates and found a spot towards the back, away from any other car that could hit his now completely fixed McLaren yet again. It had become somewhat of an inside joke between them and Rey was thankful for the fact that Ben laughed about it rather than pouted.

She watched the small flood of people climbing up the stairs for a moment and anxiously wiped her palms on her thighs, taking note of the fact they all looked like they belonged in thousand dollar dresses and luxury sports cars. 

It brought her back to the first date she went on with Ben, to the five star restaurant that made it painfully obvious she wasn’t a part of the elite society high above her, and Rey found she now felt the same as she had that night. 

Ben’s hand slipped into her own and he squeezed it reassuringly, clearly able to tell what exactly was going through her mind. “Rey, you look beautiful. There’s no reason to be worried, I promise. We’ll leave as soon as you want to, alright?” he murmured.

She nodded and let go of his hold after looking into his kind eyes, pushing open her car door and stepping out into the warm air. It was already dark out and the moon was high above in the sky, but Ben guided her towards the building without an issue as Rey held onto his arm.

They clambered up the steps together with the rest of his co-workers and their dates. A few eyes fell on them as soon as they entered the ground floor, now completely cleared off and decorated in a way to accommodate for a gala, and Rey gripped Ben tighter.

She didn’t care much for being the center of attention and it seemed like Ben didn’t either as he tugged her towards the refreshments table, away from prying eyes. 

“Maybe I should’ve worn something else…” Rey whispered to her boyfriend when they finally made it to the expanse of pre-poured champagne flutes. 

“Absolutely not. Everyone else can dress in their usual boring reds and blacks and emerald greens. You, my sweet girl, are perfect,” Ben asserted. She blushed yet again and took a sip of her champagne, turning back to the party while Ben scouted the area. 

“I see Hux and Phasma. Come on, let’s go grab a seat with them,” he said. Rey let him pull her in the direction of the round table covered in a black dining cloth, the said co-workers boredly sitting around with dates on their arms that also appeared less than amused.

As soon as the red-head caught sight of Ben, however, the entire table turned their attention to the approaching couple. “Solo, I thought you never came to these things,” Hux greeted snidely.

_ Still so venomous even after appearing thankful to see him. _

“Yes, well, I decided it would be nice to attend for a change. Hux, Phasma, this is my girlfriend, Rey,” he introduced. Ben stepped to the side so Rey could reach out and shake their hands, but Hux narrowed his eyes at her for a second.

_ Shit, he hadn’t caught on to the office blow job yesterday, had he? _

Rey nearly had a moment of panic before Hux inquired, “Do I know you from somewhere? You look awfully familiar.” Ben pulled out a chair for Rey and sat down beside her while she scrambled to come up with an answer other than the scandalous act she and Ben had done yesterday. 

“Uh—”

“Wait a moment. You’re the barista at the corner cafe down here, aren’t you?” Phasma cut in. Rey let out a sigh of relief and she smiled at the severe looking woman at the same time Ben reached under the table to hold her hand.

“Yeah, that’s me!” she admitted happily. What Rey failed to understand was the fact that it wasn’t something one in the corporate world was really proud of, so her heart crumpled when Hux snorted and Phasma looked away with a smug grin.

“Wow, Solo. You sure know how to pick them,” Hux chided. Ben squeezed her hand and Rey realized why he’d taken it in the first place. He knew they’d comment on it. Rey quickly looked away and took a hurried sip of her champagne, embarrassed at the fact she was the person that served coffee to them.

“Rey’s putting herself through college giving your asses coffee. She graduates in less than two weeks, so don’t act so goddamn high and mighty. I know for a fact you scraped gum off of the tables in Baskin-Robbins through college, Armitage,” Ben rebuked.

Rey had to hide her smile around the flute of her champagne and she made a note to herself to thank Ben later. 

For now, watching Hux turn bright red as he sputtered for a retort eased her previous unease. The tap to a microphone somewhere in the room wailed over the speakers and all talking died down so people could turn their attention to the source.

On a small stage pressed to the right side of the ground floor, a bald man in a black suit paired with an ostentatious golden tie held up the mic to begin speaking. “Good evening, everyone. My name is Andrew Snoke and I’m proud to be hosting the 31st annual First Order Gala,” he announced.

Sparse clapping followed and Rey nearly felt second-hand embarrassment for him.  _ Nearly.  _

“We are going to start with dinner shortly, followed by dancing and awards. Please, enjoy yourselves. I’ll be around to converse with some of you,” he finished. Rey shivered at the man’s chilly tone and Ben ran the back of his thumb over her knuckles in acknowledgment. 

Hux, Ben, and Phasma conversed about some investor prospects while Rey looked around the room and spotted the waiters starting to bring food out. “How did I know you’d be most excited about what’s to eat?” Ben teased, suddenly murmuring in her ear. 

“You know I value food above all else,” Rey mocked. She was oblivious to the slight look of pain that flashed across his face, and the way he pulled out his phone to discreetly order groceries for her, but a delicious plate of some chicken dish was set in front of her and her humored nature was replaced with hunger. 

Of course, Ben just chuckled as she ate with enthusiasm and listened to the buzz of dull work talk around her. Hux and Pasma both looked at her with a bit of disgust while she dug in and stuffed her mouth, but Ben draped an arm across her shoulders as he calmly speared his food with his fork.

When a small pause in conversation eventually washed over the table so everyone could eat, Rey decided now was the best time to let him know about her applications. 

She took a sip of champagne and turned to him with a smile, catching his attention instantly, before whispering only to him, “I started applying for jobs today.” Ben raised both of his eyebrows in excitement and the grin that spread over his lips made her heart warm.

“Rey, that’s fantastic! Anything good? Anything close by?” he asked eagerly. Rey blushed at his last question but nodded along.

“Yeah, I think I applied to seven or eight in the area. But there’s this last one at a garage, right? The job is to rebuild really old cars and make them as good as new, so it’s going to be a lot of searching for parts and filling in the missing pieces and that sort of thing,” she spilled.

Ben squeezed her shoulder and leaned in to press a kiss against her temple. “That sounds amazing, sweet girl. I’m so happy for you. I can’t wait to see where you’ll end up,” Ben muttered softly. 

Her stomach did a small flip at his words while her heart constricted in a good way, and the only thing that came to mind when Rey tried to think of what she was feeling was the word  _ love. _

But it was too soon, much too soon, and she couldn’t say that. Not when she had it so good. If she said that and scared Ben off, she’d be an absolute mess. So Rey just smiled at him and finished her meal, catching sight of the man who’d spoken on stage walking towards them only moments later.

“Benjamin, what a surprise to see you tonight,” the man greeted as he came to the table. Something about his voice made the hair on Rey’s arms stand up on edge. His face was covered in wicked scars, like some sort of fire or car accident happened, and his toothy grin was equally sinister.

Ben straightened out in his chair and removed his arm from Rey’s shoulders so he could reach out and shake the man’s hand. “Snoke, it’s a pleasure to be here. This is my girlfriend, Rey, who I brought up during our last meeting,” Ben addressed.

_ He’d talked about her to his boss? _ Rey didn’t get to cherish that feeling for very long as Snoke’s pale eyes zeroed in on her and his icy hand greeted her own for a rather brief shake. 

“Ah, Rey, yes. I believe I’ve seen you at our darling little coffee corner we have here. How… quaint,” Snoke remarked. 

When Hux and Phasma had brought up her occupation, they simply laughed because Ben was dating someone with a job they deemed beneath them. Snoke, however,  _ sneered _ at her. The way he said it made it seem like she had a choice in being poor or not, and that she’d clearly chosen wrong.

“Yes, you’d be right. That’s how I met Ben, actually, so I’m rather pleased to say I work there, all things considered,” Rey shot back with faux sweetness. The forced smile on Snoke’s face quickly faded.

“Benjamin, might I speak to you alone for a moment or two about The Empire investors we’re trying to bring in?” Snoke questioned, turning his displeased gaze to the man sitting beside her.

“Of course. I’ll be right back, Rey. You can have what’s left on my plate if you’d like,” Ben murmured to her as he stood, bending down to give her a chaste kiss with a kind smile before turning to leave with his boss.

There was only a bit of chicken and rice left, but Rey’s appetite had withered away. She felt sick to her stomach, quite frankly, at how she was being treated here. They all chastised her for her job and Rey frequently had to remind herself she was here for Ben.

Ben was the millionaire investor. Ben was the one with the fancy cars and suits. Ben was the man who spoiled her without an issue because it  _ wasn’t _ an issue.

Rey was severely out of place here and she’d never felt more so until she glanced up to see Hux’s proud smirk across his face with knowing eyes that Ben and Snoke were talking about her. 

She sucked in a breath and plastered on a fake smile before rising to her feet and smoothing out her dress. “I’m going to run to the restroom. If Ben comes back before I’m done, let him know, will you?” Rey inquired. She didn’t even wait for an answer. 

The hallway that held the bathrooms was completely empty and Rey let out a breath of relief when she slipped into the women’s room and found no one inside. With a small sniffle, Rey walked towards the open stall at the very end and locked herself inside.

_ It was alright to admit to herself that this was too much, wasn’t it?  _

She and Ben did so many other things that made her happy, like their movie nights and shared baths and casual outings on the weekend when she just wanted to eat ice cream in the park. Was that not enough for him?

Did Ben expect her to jump head first into this world and feel like she really belonged? Rey was used to smelling like coffee and bending over a laptop screen whenever she had the opportunity to do coursework, not relaxing in high rise offices and buying truffles for pasta.

Before she could let herself wallow in her morose thoughts, the bathroom door opened and the sounds of two pairs of heels clacking on the polished floor filled her ears. Along with giggling.

“I mean, the barista? Really? I never would’ve taken Solo to be that sort of man,” the first woman said spitefully, a chuckle of disbelief following afterwards.

“Such a downgrade, I know. How on earth does a man that handsome, and that  _ rich, _ end up with someone so… plain and poor?” the other woman asked. Rey knew that voice immediately and snapped her head up from her palms to stare out of the crack in the stall at the back of Bazine’s head. 

“No idea,” the unnamed woman commented. Rey’s heart thundered numbly in her chest and she watched with red-rimmed eyes as Bazine pulled away from the counter, turning to her friend out of sight, and smirked.

“He’s obviously paying to fuck her. Poor thing probably needs the money and Ben Solo needs a young bitch to tap. It’s as simple as that. If I weren’t nearly his age, it could’ve been me. But I’ve heard what goes on in that office of his whenever she visits, and she’s definitely getting money after having sex with him,” Bazine declared.

The breath completely left Rey’s body and her heart stopped beating in her chest. The first of the many tears to fall that night finally poured over her eyes and started to stain tracks down her cheeks.

“Really? You think Ben Solo needs to pay for that? I know tens of other women in the building that would gladly put out for him without asking for money,” the other woman stated. 

Bazine shrugged and prodded at her hair for the last time before tugging on her friend’s arm. “Men are men, Kaydel. Come on, I don’t want to miss out on the dance. Who knows? Maybe Solo will ask for a dance since I’m his receptionist and all,” Bazine sighed dreamily.

They left the bathroom shortly after and Rey was alone yet again. 

This was a mistake. This whole thing was an entire mistake. She shouldn’t have come here, pretending to be something she wasn’t, not when so many other people already knew she was nothing. 

_ But not to him, _ something whispered in the back of her mind.

Rey shoved the thought away and hurriedly wiped her cheeks with toilet paper before unlocking the bathroom stall and checking over herself in the mirror. Her black eyeliner and mascara was smudged by her tears and dark tracks ran over her blush covered cheeks.

_ She needed to get out of here. _

Sucking in a deep breath, Rey bit back a sob and pushed out of the bathroom only to run smack into the man Bazine and the other woman had just been talking about. “Hey! There you are. Phas and Hux said— woah, Rey, what’s wrong?” Ben asked quickly, reaching out to cup her cheeks only for her to jerk away.

“I’m going home, Ben. I don’t belong here. Everyone’s made that perfectly fucking clear considering they all think I’m getting paid to be your whore,” Rey spat out. 

Ben jerked away as if he’d been burned, the revolted look on his face unseen by Rey. She just pushed past him in the direction of the back entrance and pulled her phone out of her clutch to call and Uber. “Wait, Rey! Stop, what happened?” Ben yelled, chasing after her as soon as he came to.

His warm hand wrapped around her arm and gently tugged her back to him so she could meet his eyes. Ben’s face was horribly distraught and he stared at her as if he was about to lose the entire world. 

“Your secretary, Hux, Phasma, even your goddamn  _ boss _ all look at me and treat me like I’m scum, Ben. I can’t do it. Bazine thinks you’re paying to have sex with me, for God’s sake! I haven’t asked for a single thing from you, Ben! Not once. And they… I just… I need a break, Ben.

“I need a break and I need to get out of here. I feel like I’m suffocated by nice things and arrogant bodies. Please let me go. I need to get out of this fucking building and this dress and this-this  _ face. _ This isn’t me and I don’t want it to be me,” Rey heaved, feeling like she was about to have a panic attack. 

Ben let go of her arm and stared at her withering face, his features twisted up in a mix of confusion, pain, worry, and fear. “Do you… Can I go with you? Do you want me to take you home? We can leave right now, I-I’ll get my keys and we can—”

“Ben, I need a  _ break. _ From this building, from the things you get me, from… from you,” Rey whispered, the last part of her sentence cracking halfway through. Ben’s entire face crumpled and he took a staggered step backwards.

A heavy silence fell over them and Rey glanced down at her phone to see the Uber was a minute away while she wiped new tears off of her face. Finally, Ben let out a choked up, “Okay. Okay, Rey. I’ll… I’ll wait until… if you…” 

He didn’t get to finish his sentence because someone was suddenly turning the corner and calling out his name. They both moved to look at the woman calling for him— Bazine, of course. “Ben, won’t you treat me to a dance tonight?” she asked from her far away distance, her voice sickly sweet.

When her eyes landed on Rey, whose face was currently patchy with red spots and wet from crying, Bazine smirked. “Do you see it now, Ben? Do you fucking  _ see _ it? I’ll call you when I want to, please don’t reach out,” Rey hissed through shaky words, her confidence and patience exhausted. 

Ben turned away from Bazine and reached out for Rey, but his girlfriend was already scurrying down the hallway and booking it out of the exit. “God, what’s her problem?” Bazine asked smugly, her voice echoing through the empty hallway.

Ben whipped around and strode towards the woman with a fire in his eyes, every fibre of his being shaking with pure detestation.  _ “You. _ You fucking did this. All of you did this. Do you really think I’m fucking paying my girlfriend to have sex with me? What’s  _ wrong _ with you?

“What’s wrong with  _ all _ of you? You’re fired, Netal. And I’m fucking quitting. I’ve had enough of this place, enough of all of you people. You all just ruined the one thing that actually made me happy. Are  _ you _ happy? Your last job is to relay the message to Snoke that I’m done, then you are too,” Ben seethed. 

He shoved past the woman frozen in her spot with wide eyes, marching through the gala while couples danced to a slow song, and then he was out of the front doors just in time to see an Uber leaving the parking lot.

A glimmer of rose gold caught his eye from inside the backseat. 

*****

Rey ripped the dress off of her body with irritated and frustrated sobs spilling out of her lips. The expensive fabric tore jaggedly down the back and the gown promptly fell to the floor, unable to be fixed as a result of her aggravated attack. 

A knock came to her bedroom door and Finn’s concerned question of, “Rey? Are you alright? What’s going on in there?” floated through the white wood. 

“Leave me alone! Won’t any of you just fucking leave me  _ alone?!” _ Rey screamed back, yanking off a shoe and throwing it at the door. She dissolved into a fit of wailing and choking, laying on her side in the puddle of bedazzled fabric with one tan Louboutin shoe still on and nothing else. 

“What is it? What’s wrong?” a soft voice asked on the other side of the bedroom, presumably Poe. 

“I-I don’t know. I’ve never seen her like this. Not even when she told me about her parents,” Finn whispered back. Angry at the fact they were talking about her so plainly, like she wasn’t even there, Rey slapped her hands over her ears and rocked herself like she used to when she was in her foster homes.

Like she could hear Unkar Plutt’s feet climbing up the stairs on a mission to barge into her room and tell her she was getting nothing for dinner because she hadn’t found anything of value that day. 

Rey cried until there was nothing left to stream down her cheeks and the sobs in her throat turned into dull hiccups. She was still clutching the dress when the voices outside of her door faded away and the sound of the front door closing echoed throughout the home. 

She was alone.

Sniffling and pulling herself together enough where she could shake off the other shoe and disentangle herself from the tattered gown, Rey clambered into her bed and weakly opened her laptop that was next to her pillow. 

A notification sat in her online message box on the job searching website she’d had up before leaving and Rey languidly moved the cursor to click on it. She wiped another stray tear away at the same time the message pulled up in its full glory.

_ Dear Miss Niima, _

_ Please let me know what time this week would work for you to come in and be interviewed. This job has been posted for a few weeks now with no applicants, so the job is pretty much yours, but it might be nice just to meet in person before blindly sending you a starting paycheck.  _

_ Thanks, _

_ Chewie Bacca  _

_ Chewie’s Garage  _

*****

Ben tossed his keys on the entryway table and headed straight for the bar cart in the kitchen, the past two nights of agony no longer able to be handled sober. The glass topper on his bottle of whiskey was promptly pulled off and Ben brought the bottle straight to his lips.

It burned the entire way down and he choked around a cough, wincing when the harsh alcohol finally hit his belly. He angrily shucked off his shoes and threw his suit jacket somewhere in the room, his tie following shortly after along with the loud smack of his belt. 

Ben collapsed on his couch and mindlessly turned on the tv as he fingered the top three buttons on his dress shirt and popped them open. So there he sat, alone in his penthouse, guzzling whiskey while his girlfriend was somewhere hurting because of the gala he’d dragged her to.

All of this was his fault.  _ All of it. _

He should’ve known that she would feel uncomfortable, that his co-workers and his boss and his secretary would make her feel awful. Ben was just… Ben was in love with her. And he wanted to show her off to the entire world— scream off of every single rooftop in Chandrila how he loved Rey.

But he’d ruined it, just like he did with all good things. Even on the very first date he’d taken her on, she’d gotten uneasy because of the expensive things and people around her. Ben knew that spoiling Rey was a delicate thing. 

She put her foot down when things were too much, but eagerly thanked him when he found small things she adored, like her overly sweet candles and favorite crackers she couldn’t afford every time at the grocery store. Ben loved spoiling Rey because he  _ loved _ Rey, and loving Rey meant he wanted to give her the world.

He’d fucked it all up, though. Fucked it up by exposing her to the soul sucking people that had to comment cynically on every single thing, including his happiness. 

Ben was glad that he quit. In fact, he found it was the best decision he’d ever made now that he knew he’d never have to step foot in that God awful building again. Well, he’d have to in order to retrieve some of his things, but not to work. 

That meant he’d also have to start looking for a new job, then. But that didn’t matter right now. What mattered was the whiskey in his grasp, the pain in his heart, and the phone screen facing the ceiling that would eventually light up with Rey’s name.

However long that would be, Ben had no idea. But he was prepared to wait, and he had the means to be able to wait a long time. 

His sorrowful thoughts were interrupted when an insistent, sharp knocking came to his front door, abruptly cutting through the background noise of whatever show he’d put on the tv. “Rey?” Ben questioned eagerly, scrambling to get up from the couch and rush to his front door.

But when he opened it, he was confronted instead by the sight of Finn, Poe, and, much to his utter dismay, his mother and father. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh oh, what will he do *insert eye emojis*


	8. The Apology

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all. So this chapter is a bit shorter than usual because I wanted it to just focus on the apology with only two chapters left. I'm sorry for upsetting some of you, it kinda made this a little hard to write because I wanted to make it better, but I hope y'all enjoy it and forgive me for the slight angst xx

The four unexpected visitors sat wordlessly on the couch after Ben begrudgingly let them into the house. He’d hoped it would be Rey on the other side of the door, but when did Ben ever really get what he wanted? 

“Rey came home crying tonight. You didn’t… have anything to do with that, did you?” Finn asked first, his nervous eyes scanning Ben’s sorrowful face. Ben was certain everyone in the room could see that he was hurting just as much as she probably was, but the question needed to be asked.

“I dragged her to the fancy fucking gala my company holds every summer and surrounded her with people that made her feel less than, so, it’s my fault ultimately. I knew things like tonight made her a little uncomfortable, but I just figured maybe… maybe she’d like it in the end.

“All she got, however, was snide commentary from my boss, my co-workers, and my secretary. Apparently, there’d been a nasty rumor as well that was exposed right to her face… It was supposed to be a good night, especially after last night,” Ben growled, sending a spiteful glare to his parents who seemed to take it in stride. 

Poe frowned at the action and flicked his gaze between Ben and his parents. “I thought you three had dinner last night? Talked and everything?” Poe asked, recalling the short conversation he’d had with Ben over text messages.

Ever since Ben discovered Rey’s roommate was dating one of his childhood best friends, he and Poe had been chatting again and reconnecting after so much time apart. Ben had mentioned that his parents were coming to hopefully fix the past, but he’d never actually told Poe how it went.

It was only fair Poe assumed things went the way Ben wanted them to considering he hadn’t received a distressed text from him. No, Rey had taken on that burden.

“Oh, we talked alright. All about how you thought Rey was using me for money and that my career choice was one colossal fuck up. When I told you I never wanted to see you again, I meant it. Why are you two even here?” Ben seethed, turning his attention to his mother and father.

Leia shifted under the weight of his hateful stare, but lifted her chin back, ever prideful, and replied evenly, “Poe reached out to us and told us something might be wrong between you and Rey. He figured our…  _ conversation _ went well and that you might want us to be here with him and Finn. We just happened to still be in town.”

Ben scoffed and shook his head as he turned his attention back to the whiskey bottle in his lap. He resisted the urge to take a large swig of it in front of the people trying to clearly get the story of tonight out of him.

“Your girlfriend, she gave us a rather… informative piece of her mind last night, after you left the table,” Han stated slowly. Ben let his eyes flick up, but he said nothing, waiting for his father to continue. 

_ That sounded like something Rey would do. _

“She told us that we should be ashamed of how we treated you, that she pitied us for missing out on getting to know who you really were. I think she might have mentioned you bought coffee every morning from her even though you didn’t drink it as well…” his father finished softly. 

Ben’s heart seemed to double in size at the revelation of what Rey had said to his parents and he wished now more than ever that he had her here in his arms. What he’d give to hold her and tell her she’d never have to wear a stupid fucking gown again. 

Finn’s small, dry chuckle caught Ben’s attention next and everyone turned to eye him in curiosity of what was so funny. “You know, I’ve known Rey since we were in foster care together, and I wouldn’t expect her to say anything less.

“What I don’t understand is how whatever happened tonight made her cry more than when she told me one night, when we were huddling under the covers of our then foster mother’s home, about her parents who abandoned her. What exactly was said, Ben?” Finn asked desperately. 

Ben pursed his lips and let his gaze fall back to his parents, unsure of whether or not he wanted to talk about this in front of them, but he figured they needed to hear it. They needed to hear how they assumed she was in it for money just like everyone else.

“Aside from the fact they all mocked her for being the barista at the corner cafe on the ground floor, they also theorized I was paying her to sleep with me,” Ben admitted grimly. 

_ That deserved a gulp of whiskey. _

His parents adjusted themselves uncomfortably on the sofa and avoided his eyes. “She was never in it for money, you know. Rey never asked for a  _ single _ thing from me. It was my decision to buy her shoes, dresses, groceries, candles, and expensive lemon smelling soaps she could only ever afford once in a three pack.

“And yet all these people that I worked with, even you two, you all thought she was money driven to be with me. But it wasn’t that at all. I… I love Rey. I want to be with Rey. She makes me a better person— a better  _ man— _ and I pushed her to be a part of my world when she never wanted that in the first place.

“I quit my job tonight. I’ve had enough of First Order, so you both get what you’ve always wanted,” Ben shot ruefully to his parents, “but I know now that I only want Rey. I’m not some angry little kid you can just throw away again, I’m a grown man who’s hurting just like I was years ago.

“Couldn’t you see all I wanted was to be  _ loved _ by both of you? To be acknowledged that I was finding the path I wanted for myself? Rey does. Rey loves me, even if she hasn’t said it yet, I know she does. She’s supported me endlessly and I don’t even know what to do right now,” Ben finished, his voice cracking as tears built up.

The room was silent and Ben turned his face to his lap, staring at the rumpled black fabric of his dress pants underneath the heavy glass bottle of whiskey. “Son, if I may, I’d like to give you some advice that I learned the hard way with your mother,” Han said carefully.

Ben glared at the older man but said nothing, willing him to go on. “Look, your mother and I had our fights too. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that it’s better to clear anything that could go wrong earlier rather than later,” he told her.

Finn shifted on the couch and leaned in to rest a hand on Ben’s knee. “Can I tell you something as well? Going off of what your father just said?” he asked. Ben nodded at his question, setting the alcohol to the side.

“You know Rey’s past. You know about her parents and how long she felt alone. All I’m saying is… even if she told you she wanted to be alone, she  _ doesn’t. _ I’ve known Rey for years and she  _ never _ wants to be alone. You should do what your dad said and try to talk through what happened.

“I haven’t seen her so happy in a long time, Ben, and I don’t want to see her sad. You two are perfect together and something like a shitty gala and bad dinner out with your mom and dad shouldn’t split you two up,” he finished, sending a glare to Ben’s parents.

Ben let their words sink in and he looked between all of them, taking in their faces and the range of emotions they seemed to be wearing. “Why are you here? Besides Poe inviting you, why did you come?” Ben asked his parents softly, abruptly changing the conversation back to them.

Leia looked down at the floor and sniffed before flicking her gaze back up and staring straight at her son. “Rey said something that really affected us. She said that… it was a waste to bring you into the world just to toss you away.

“Your father and I, we know we’ve been horrible when it comes to talking about your career and what you’re doing in life and I believe it finally took a very blunt statement for us to realize that.

“We want your forgiveness, Ben, but we know that’s rather impossible at this point. We won’t reach out to you, we won’t come here, we won’t ever have to see you again if you don’t want us to. We promise. But we wanted to be here for you with this,” Leia admitted.

Ben shook his head and held up a hand to stop her from going on. “I meant what I said and that’s not changing. I don’t want to see you after this or talk to you. My life had been affected beyond belief because of you two. I’m  _ tired. _ I have a woman in my life that’s like family now and I’m more than alright with that.

“Please, just… if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to finish this conversation with Poe and Finn. Alone,” Ben stated firmly. The whole room was silent but his parents looked at each other, then bowed their heads in acknowledgement. 

They stood without another word, gave their son once last once over, then moved towards the door to leave. “Hold on,” Ben called, the word suddenly tearing through the tense silence.

They paused and waited for him to go on, clearly caught off guard by the fact he was speaking again after having dismissed them. “Thank you for the advice. I… I appreciate it,” he decisively stated with a finality to his tone. 

His parents gave him a tight smile then opened the door and vanished into the hallway, allowing him to have the last word. Yet again, the apartment descended into a peaceful kind of quiet between the three remaining individuals.

“You really think I should go to her? She told me not to reach out, that she’d be the one to talk once she wanted to,” Ben admitted anxiously after a few moments of silence. Finn chuckled and leaned into Poe with a fond twinkle in his eye.

“Ben, women never want to be left alone after shit like this. They want the whole rainy scene where the man shows up on her doorstep and confesses his love and says he’ll go all over the world for her,” Poe teased knowingly.

Finn nodded along to what his boyfriend said and Ben sank further into the couch as his brain swam with all of the new information.  _ So Rey really wanted him to show up? He’d had a few to drink but… if he convinced Finn and Poe to… _

“You want us to drive you to her, don’t you?” Finn asked smugly. Ben could feel the blush creeping up his face and he didn’t even try to hide it as the boys across from him laughed softly, no judgement evident in their humored sounds. 

“Do I even look okay?” Ben asked self-consciously.

“Ben, that’s what a woman  _ wants _ you to look like after something like this happens— all disheveled and looking like life is over without them,” Poe chided playfully. Ben looked down at himself and frowned. He didn’t think he looked  _ that _ bad. 

“Will you drive me then? And will you two, like… stay?” he asked sheepishly. Finn stood from the couch and stretched while Poe rolled his eyes.

“No, we aren’t going to stay. Just make it right, Ben. Explain to her everything you’re feeling and how you’ve quit your job and that you can’t live without her, all that. Maybe even tell her you love her, who knows?” Poe explained sarcastically.

Ben nodded, trying to pull together all of his courage, and then he stood up too with a newfound determination. They left the apartment together and headed down towards the private garage which made Ben furrow his eyebrows in confusion at the gradual realization they’d gotten past all security.

“Hey, wait a minute… how did all of you get in here?” he asked in bewilderment.

“I grew up in the foster care system with Rey. I can get through anything,” Finn replied with a cheeky grin. Ben huffed at the admittance but clambered into the vehicle that was out of place among the sportscars without a word about it.  _ After all, they were taking him to Rey. _

As if on cue, and much to Finn and Poe’s humor, a low boom of thunder sounded in the distance as soon as they exited the exclusive garage. “Did you hear that, Ben? It might work out for you after all,” Finn laughed. 

Ben settled down in the back of the car and watched as the fall of rain from above started out with a few drops before turning into a rather tranquil downpour.

He’d looked at the weather earlier and had seen that rain was expected for tomorrow, but it must have come early.  _ How wonderful. _ The drive was filled with radio music on a low volume, hushed conversation between Finn and Poe, and the soft patter of rain on the car.

Ben still couldn’t believe that his parents had shown up. Sure, his dad had given him some advice that he appreciated, but Ben meant it when he said he didn’t want to see them again. It was far past the time where forgiveness was an option, especially after last night’s shit.

_ Fuck, was that really only last night? _

Ben sighed and let his forehead fall against the cold window while they drove through the slowly flooding streets. The rented home belonging to Rey came into view sooner than Ben would’ve liked and his heart started to race in his chest out of nerves, the place in his mind he’d retreated to clearly distracting him from just how quickly they’d arrived.

What if she kicked him to the curb and told him to never talk to her again? What if Rey really meant it when she said she didn’t want him to talk to her? What if she meant for the ‘break’ she’d talked about to last forever?

“Alright, go get your girl. We won’t be back tonight, so…” Finn said slowly, letting his last sentence be suggestive to everyone in the car. Ben swallowed down the thick lump that grew in his throat and tried to take in a calming breath while they parked against the curb.

A single light was on in the home and Ben unlocked the door to step out into the rain, the only thing on his mind being getting to Rey and apologizing. His heavy feet carried him to the sidewalk and he just barely heard the car behind him pull away to leave him and Rey alone. 

The rain soaked through his clothes and Ben anxiously flexed his fingers as he climbed up the wooden steps to the covered porch containing her front door. Without another thought, Ben lifted his hand and rasped his knuckles against the worn wood.

He took a few steps back, his eyes trained on the peephole that Rey would likely look out of, but he held his ground with all the willpower he could muster. Ben wasn’t sure how long he stood on that porch— it could’ve been hours for all that mattered— but was the soft click of the lock being undone behind the door that made his heart skip a beat in his chest.

The red-rimmed eyes belonging to Rey peered out around the door and met Ben’s and a sad little sniffle accompanied the sight of her tear stained face. “Rey, I… I’m so sorry. Please… can I come in and talk to you?” Ben pleaded gently.

Rey looked down at the floor of the patio, shifting her weight from one foot to another, but she let out a soft sigh and slowly opened up the door wide enough to let him in. Ben pushed into the warmth of the home and stared at the puddle that quickly grew around his feet on her wood floors. “Uh, sorry…” he muttered.

Rey crossed her arms protectively over her chest and shrugged but said nothing else about the matter. “Can we talk about tonight, Rey? Please? If you still want a break from me or don’t want to talk to me afterwards, I’ll go, I swear,” Ben promised.

Her wary eyes eventually met his and the wobble in Rey’s bottom lip told him everything he needed to know. Ben didn’t hesitate when he pulled her into a tight hug and Rey eagerly held him back, clutching his sopping wet shirt like he was the only thing allowing her to stand. 

“I quit my job. I should’ve a long time ago but I was a fucking idiot, Rey. The way they treated you tonight just made something click in my brain after all this time. I’m so sorry for dragging you to the goddamn gala.

“It was supposed to be fun but I seemed to forget the fact everyone I worked with, and worked for, are awful people. These past two nights have just been shitty, Rey, and I’m so sorry for putting you through it all. I…” Ben trailed off, his heart surging to his throat at the next thing he was going to say.

“I love you, Rey. I’m  _ in love _ with you. I don’t ever want to be the cause of your pain or sadness and I’d follow you to the ends of the earth, honestly. You’re so beautiful, inside and out, and I’m so lucky to have met you. Tell me what I can do to make this better, please,” he begged softly. 

Rey sniffled into his chest and pulled away weakly from his chest, looking up at him with awestruck eyes. “You quit your job?” she asked. Out of all the things Ben assumed she would comment on, the last thing he expected was for her to bring up him leaving First Order.

“I, uh, yeah. I didn’t love my job or really even like it, Rey. I was good at what I did and I made a decent amount of money, and I got to see you every day, but that was it. I’ll find some place else that actually has kind employees,” Ben explained.

Rey nodded and bit down into her bottom lip, really seeming to take in the fact that he was sopping wet in her living room after a few beats of quiet passed between them. “Oh, shit. I have some of your clothes here, hold on, I’ll go get them,” Rey rushed out. 

_ This… wasn’t how Ben expected this to go.  _

She’d been so upset when she left and Finn had told her she was a mess of tears in their home— Ben himself had been distraught thinking about the pain he’d caused her. But she let him into the house without a fuss, listened to what he had to say, only remarked on the job part of his speech, and was now getting him clothes?

Something felt very odd. 

“Here… I kinda stole these whenever you left early in the mornings at your apartment and I stayed behind,” Rey admitted with a sheepish expression, handing the stack of black clothing towards him.

“Rey, is everything… is everything alright? Do you want me to go after I change?” Ben questioned nervously. She shook her head and crossed her arms in front of herself once again, like she was protecting her heart, then jerked her head in the direction of her bedroom.

“No, I don’t want you to go. I want to talk. I heard everything you said—  _ everything— _ but I want to share my feelings too, alright?” Rey inquired. He nodded and watched her turn around to slink back to her room, leaving him in the kitchen beside the lone bathroom.

Ben made quick work removing his uncomfortably wet clothes and changing into the new ones, somewhat pleased at the fact she’d kept a shirt, a pair of briefs, and some athletic shorts of his.

But as he left the bathroom and slowly made his way towards her bedroom, Ben felt the nerves rise again. Rey was sitting in the middle of her bed with her eyes trained to the doorway so that she could see him as soon as he walked in, but Ben’s gaze went to the rose gold dress torn down the back to the left of the door.

“I wanted it off,” Rey informed him. Ben nodded and stepped around it to sit opposite her on her yellow bedspread. 

“Look, I… I might have overreacted tonight about leaving, but I’m still upset, Ben. All of those people in there tonight treated me like I was scum and a few even thought I was whoring myself out for money. You understand how damaging that was to me, don’t you?” Rey asked gently. 

“Of course I do. I’m so sorry, Rey,” Ben murmured.

She sniffled at his meager apology and nodded in acceptance, wiping away a tear that abruptly fell down her cheek. “I’m glad you quit your job, Ben, I really am. I just wish it didn’t take tonight to make you do it,” she confessed.

He wiggled a little closer to her and carefully placed a hand overtop of hers, hoping it wasn’t too much, before agreeing painfully, “I wish I did, too. I should’ve listened to you. Hell, I should’ve even listened to my  _ parents. _ I’m never going back, Rey, that’s a vow.”

Rey gave a wet little laugh and looked down at where his hand was on top of hers and it filled Ben with warmth when she slowly enveloped his palm with her slim fingers. “Can we just… start over, Ben?” 

He furrowed his eyebrows at her question and felt his heart drop a little in his chest. What exactly did she mean by start over? Like start from strangers and work their way back to where they were now? Ben would do it if she really wanted, but he’d just put his heart on his sleeve and—

“I mean with the last two days, Solo. I see your mind working. We could just… accept that your parents aren’t great and that you left a shitty job and that could be it. We could move forward and it would be alright again,” Rey explained further.

Ben liked the idea more than anything, but they’d both just spent the last two hours in pain because of the stupid gala. “We  _ could… _ but would it really be alright?” Ben asked slowly. 

She chuckled sadly at his question, knowing she’d been bested, and shook her head. “Come here,” Ben whispered after a fretful pause. Rey wasted no time crawling across the bed and letting herself fall into his open arms, his warm embrace soothing to the both of them.

“I told Bazine as plainly as I could that you were my girlfriend. I told her off after you left and let her know she was fired after informing her of my resignation. I expect my phone will be blowing up tomorrow morning once news gets out, but I don’t care.

“I meant what I said, Rey. I’d go anywhere for you—  _ do _ anything for you. I love you. I’m never going to let someone say something horrible to you and let them get away with it,” Ben told her honestly. She nodded against his chest and pressed a kiss to the fabric over his heart, humming at the worlds in acknowledgement.

“I… I love you too, Ben. Finn told you to come, didn’t he?” Rey asked through a tiny laugh. 

He nodded and carded his fingers through her hair, savoring the feeling of having his perfect girlfriend back in his arms while trying not to externally freak out about her romantic confession.

“Well, thank you for coming. I needed you more than I think I realized,” she muttered. Ben grinned to himself and tugged her towards the head of her bed, peeling back the covers so he could carefully deposit her underneath them.

“Hey… I’ll stop if you want me to, by the way. I won’t buy you another thing if that’s what you want, Rey. I don’t ever want to make you feel out of place and I’m never going to allow someone to think I’m paying you for sex,” Ben stated firmly. 

Rey blinked back a new set of tears, though these were out of appreciation, and snuggled further into her pillows. “I like it when you give me gifts, Ben. Just maybe not such… luxurious stuff, okay? Not until I start my job at least,” she requested.

Ben happily agreed. 

He pulled away from her side to close the bedroom door and move the torn dress to the closet where they wouldn’t trip on it. He turned the lights off before clambering into the bed beside her and pulling her back into his arms, right where he wanted her to be.

“So we’re alright then? I mean, still together?” Ben questioned through the darkness. He felt Rey shudder with laughter and place her hand comfortingly over his forearm.

“Ben, I don’t think I could ever really turn you away. Let’s just agree that these past two nights have been too much and that from now on, if either of us have a problem, we talk about it before blowing it out of proportion, alright?” Rey shot back.

“Alright.”

*****

The next morning, Rey woke up to the feeling of strong arms wrapped around her waist and the skin across her cheeks tight from dried tears. The events of last night came flooding into her mind and Rey allowed herself to slowly take everything in now that she wasn’t as tired or upset.

Ben’s co-workers and boss were assholes, Bazine was spreading a rumor that Ben paid Rey to sleep with him, Rey told Ben she needed a break from him and everything else, Ben quit his job and put Bazine in her place, Finn and Poe left to bring Ben to her, and Ben professed his love along with clarification on everything that had happened after she left.

It had been a whirlwind of a night, but Ben had ultimately made everything right in the end. Rey was beyond happy that Ben no longer worked for First Order Associates and she knew he would be just alright for a while until he got a new job.

And he loved her. Ben had told Rey that he  _ loved _ her. Granted, she told him she loved him back, but it was a silly little thing that made her heart constrict with happiness at the thought.  _ They were in love. _

She didn’t care if Ben had all the money in the world or if he was richer than sin, she just wanted him and him alone. Thank God he’d put everyone else at the stupid gala in their place even when she wasn’t around. 

As if summoned by her thoughts, Ben stirred behind her and tightened his grasp, like he was afraid she’d float off if he didn’t hang on. Rey grinned and turned around in his hold to watch his face as he slowly woke from his slumber.

There was always something so pleasing to her whenever she watched Ben wake up. Whether it was in his apartment before she left for work or in her bed when they had nothing to do later, Rey adored the rosy tint his cheeks had and the way his eyelids fluttered just so before opening completely.

“I can feel you staring at me,” Ben grumbled in that beautiful morning voice of his. It was somehow gravely yet smooth at the same time and Rey wished she had the right words to describe it in all of its glory. Just hearing it would do for now.

“Good. You’re so handsome,” Rey whispered back with a giggle. The grin that stretched across his lips made her blush and she squeaked when he dipped down to press his lips against hers. Rey was glad that he’d come to her last night, even after she’d told him to stay away.

Call her an idiot or confusing, but she was thankful that Ben had ignored her request to wait for her to reach out first— even if it was Finn who probably told him she didn’t like to be alone.

What mattered was that he was there holding her and that both of their feelings and thoughts about the night before had been vocalized. Ben would find a new job with people who were kind, Rey would graduate and never see First Order again, Ben would go easy on spoiling her, and Rey would talk through a situation with him should something arise.

It had been productive, much to her relief.

“Do you have work today?” Ben asked with a huff.

“Mmm… I was supposed to open the corner cafe for First Order, but I think they’ll get the message I quit after a few missed shifts,” Rey giggled. He squeezed her playfully and kissed her yet again, slower this time, while she melted into Ben’s embrace.

_ Everything felt right again. _ “Poe brought my parents with him and Finn last night, if you’ll believe it,” Ben suddenly confessed with a cheeky grin. Rey gasped and slapped his chest with a mischievous glint in her eye. 

“You’re  _ kidding. _ Spill,” she urged. He shrugged, running a hand through his hair, and said bluntly, “My father gave me some advice about handling situations earlier rather than later, and I thanked him, but I still let them know I didn’t want them in my life anymore. If they really wanted to be around, they would’ve accepted me for me a long time ago.”

Rey’s heart swelled with pride at her boyfriend’s words and she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck out of pure adoration. “You sure have come to a lot of conclusions in the past twelve hours, haven’t you, Mister Solo?” Rey teased.

Ben pressed his nose into the crown of her hair and tangled his legs with hers, running the back of his fingers up and down her spine before murmuring, “The only thing that mattered to me in any of these realizations was you, Rey. You’re all that I want.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoy! xx


	9. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoy! x

“Ben, you really don’t have to be here for this,” Rey teased through a toothy grin. Her boyfriend sat down on the curb beside her and slung an arm around her shoulders in order to pull her closer to his body.

“No, but I want to be. This is a big day. I’m proud of you,” he told her honestly. Rey blushed at his words, ducking her head into the crook of his neck at the same time Finn walked over and sat on the other side of her. The sun was high in the sky and the email that their delivery was scheduled for 1:00 pm had come in a week ago.

The three of them had made a plan to sit out on the curb and wait for the giant bus traveling across the state that would personally deliver Rey and Finn’s diplomas— the online college clearly taking graduation seriously.

“What time is it?” Finn asked as he bit into an apple and bent over in order to look to the left, gazing down the expanse of the asphalt street. Ben pushed his hand into the back of his jeans and tugged out the phone that rested inside before tapping on the screen.

“Uh… 12:57,” he informed them. Rey huffed and buried her face in her hands out of anticipation while Ben chuckled and put the phone away. 

“You’re going to get your diploma, Rey,” he assured with a humored tone. It had been a busy two weeks for them after the dinner with his parents and the gala at the nightmare of a company he used to work for.

Ben had no issue finding another job shortly after with a company called Resistance Associates, and while it was slightly smaller and paid just a little less, he was extremely happy with where he was. People were nice to him and actually gave meaningful feedback to his endeavors instead of snarky, cenile remarks. 

His boss was a woman named Larma D’Acy and she oddly made Ben think of her as the mother he wished he had, though he’d never admit that to her. He enjoyed collaborating with the other financial investors on his team and discovered nearly all of them had a bad taste in their mouth from FOA as well.

Jannah, for example, had been one of the few to work for them straight out of college like Ben did, but she’d gotten out much sooner than he decided. That was probably why Jannah was one of Ben’s favorite co-workers now.

Not to mention that Rey got along with her as well which made him happy. It had also come as a surprise when Ben discovered Rey’s new job was with Chewie, the man he always thought of as his true uncle before they slowly grew apart after the fallout he’d had with his parents.

Chewie hadn’t agreed with them, Leia and Han, which made Ben feel good for a while, but college took over and the two became estranged, so it was easy to lose contact with the man. Until Rey accepted a job with him, that was. 

Apparently, his beautiful girlfriend had managed to get the job before really interviewing, but Ben was proud of her all the same when she got ready to sell herself in hopes of getting the position.

She was working at the garage not even two days later. 

Life had been good since their dramatic, few-hour fallout. They’d talked through everything as far as feelings went and made up a little plan of what to do in the future should anything like it happen again, and then it was right back to where they were.

Ben’s gifts to Rey now came in the form of scented candles she pointed out when they went shopping, her lemon soap bars that were now used every day, her favorite flowers when she least expected it, and maybe a fancy pair of sneakers or flats.  _ Maybe.  _

They’d helped Finn box up all of his things and move along with Poe and Rose to the area that was closer to their new office and Ben had no problem holding Rey that night when she cried at the loss of her roommate. 

Not even three days later, however, Ben was folding clothes to put into duffle bags and moving furniture into a large truck in order to welcome Rey into his magnificent city apartment. She’d agreed to move in with him, however absurd it seemed, but when had their relationship  _ ever _ moved slow?

It wasn’t until today, though— the day that their diplomas were being delivered— that Rey and Finn both said goodbye to their old rented home for good. The sun was hot, the sky was blue, and the house behind them was officially empty. 

As if on cue, the sound of a large bus breaking in order to make a wide turn caused all three of them to lift their heads and look left to the left corner of the street. In bright yellow and blue, the bus belonging to SNHU rounded the large angle and started on its way towards them.

Ben helped Rey to her feet and Finn followed their action, tossing the apple he’d been eating into the grass beside them. The bus slowed before coming to a halt and Rey squeezed Ben’s hand in anticipation. 

Sure, it wasn’t the usual graduation ceremony people got through college, but it meant a lot to Rey, so Ben said nothing in order to allow her the full experience of accepting her diploma. 

The doors swung open and a man who looked like he could truly care less about what he was doing walked out with a clipboard and two stiff folders within his grasp. “Mister… Storm and Miss… Niima?” the man asked boredly. 

Ben frowned at the lack of enthusiasm but Rey beamed at the delivery boy, nodding her head excitedly. “Right. Congratulations on receiving your diploma through Southern New Hampshire University. We wish you all the best going forward. Here, uh…” the man trailed off after his rehearsed speech and extended the folders to them.

“Thank you!” Rey cried happily, turning away from the man so she could open it up and stare at the cream colored certificate that rested inside— proof that she was an official graduate with a bachelor’s degree in the one thing she’d only ever wanted. 

Ben couldn’t help but pull her into his arms as his heart surged with delight. Rey had worked so hard for this, he’d seen the coursework she did whenever she got free time to complete it, and he was probably just as excited about it as she was.

“Congratulations, Rey. You did it,” he whispered happily into her ear. She pulled away with a wide smile and squealed a little when she glanced back down at the diploma within her hands. 

“Can we get a frame for it? And hang it in the apartment? Next to your fancy one?” Rey asked in a rush. Ben laughed and cocked an eyebrow at her, a sly smirk spreading over his lips when the question he anticipated from her finally came out.

“I… may or may not have already gotten you a frame. Consider it part of your graduation gift,” he teased. Rey playfully smacked his arm before hugging him yet again with rosy cheeks. That was, until she realized he said  _ part _ of her graduation gift. She tugged herself away from his broad frame and gaped at him, hoping it wasn’t something over the top and luxurious. 

Ben just cupped the side of her face with his palm and bent forward to press his lips against her warm forehead, the sun seeming to kiss it from how long they’d been outside. _ He really did love the freckles she had. _

“Relax, sweet girl. It’s nothing crazy, I promise,” he assured her. Rey settled within his grasp and nearly jumped out of her skin when the sound of the bus’s breaks releasing from their hold abruptly filled the air behind her.

She whipped around to stare at the yellow and blue monstrosity as it cruised its way down the street in the direction of whoever was bound to receive their diploma next within the state. Finn was still staring at the official paper he’d gotten.

Rey sometimes forgot that Finn had experienced just as rough of a life as she had, so she removed herself from Ben’s embrace with a soft smile before hesitantly approaching the man she’d called her best friend for years.

“Big deal, huh?” Rey asked once she got closer to the man with glazed over eyes. Finn lifted his head and grinned, not even stopping for a second before he yanked her under his arm and held her against his side.

“Yeah. Big deal. I wish I could share moments like these with a family…  _ parents, _ you know? But you’re the closest thing I’ve got to that, peanut. I’m glad you’re here, even if we’re parting after this,” Finn told her honestly. Rey couldn’t help the little sniffle of sadness she gave at his short speech.

She knew exactly what he meant. Rey would never have a father to walk her down the aisle when she got married, she wouldn’t have hands to hold when the people who brought her into this world left it, and she wouldn’t have any true blood to watch go through life as she had— no one to call sibling.

But Finn had always been that small piece of family she’d wanted, and even if things were still somewhat tense between them because of his poor way of telling her they’d be splitting after graduation, she’d still do her best to see him.

He’d only be a little under an hour away, and they could make that work.

“I’m glad you’re here too, Finn. Now why don’t you head home to your lovers and show this off to them, hm? I bet they’re dying to see it,” Rey said playfully. Finn chuckled and nodded, releasing her from his grasp so he could start to move in the direction of his car.

“I’ll see you soon, peanut?” he asked, taking steps backwards, never looking away from her eyes.

“See you soon, Finn,” Rey called back with a smile. They both nodded to each other, and then Finn turned around to clamber into his car, slowly pulling off onto the road only moments later and leaving her behind like Rey anticipated. Thankfully, Ben was there to wrap an arm around her waist and steady her.

“You ready to head home?” he whispered cautiously into her ear. Rey took in a deep breath and turned to glance at the rented house she’d called home for four years, all of the memories she had within its old walls flooding her mind.

But she had a new place to call home now, and that home was currently waiting for her response with a gentle hand on her curved side. “Yeah… yeah, I’m ready to go,” Rey murmured. Her boyfriend kissed the top of her head, lingering for a moment, and then they were walking down the sidewalk in the opposite direction of the splintered front steps. 

*****

“What do you think?” Ben asked, holding up the frame he’d bought for Rey to hold her diploma. She beamed at the bright yellow frame, her favorite color, and reached out to gently grasp the painted wood. It was a simple thing, really, but it was the gesture alone that had Rey tearing up a little bit.

“I love it, Ben, thank you,” she whispered, somewhat choked up. Her boyfriend laughed lightly and pulled her in for a warm hug as she gripped the frame, allowing his massive arms to hold her until he was ready to let her go. Of course, that seemed to take a while.

“I saw it while I was out running another errand and I had to get it. I’m sure you would’ve hated a plain black one,” Ben teased. She shoved his wide shoulder and carefully pulled at the clasps on the back of the frame in order to remove the backing and slip her diploma inside.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love the sight of  _ you _ in black, but I’m definitely a yellow kind of gal,” Rey agreed.

She held up the finished project after securing the cardboard backing once more and let both of them observe the official piece of paper behind the glass. Even though she’d been working at Chewie’s for a week now, Rey was proud to say she’d finally graduated.

Sure, she’d still have loans to pay off for a while, but at least she had someone by her side to ease whatever other troubles she had. Ben always bought the groceries, for one, and she certainly didn’t need to worry about  _ soap _ anymore.

It seemed that in his loss of ability to buy her fancy things, Rey was now the proud owner of multiple lemon soaps and sickly sweet smelling candles. Not that she minded in the slightest. It just made her giggle if she thought about it too long. 

Rey liked coming home after a long day covered in oil from working on old cars. She enjoyed working with her hands, scavenging for parts that fit right where they were supposed to, and then pulling those out if she found something better. Her clothes might need replacing more often, but Rey could afford that now.

Hell, she’d nearly passed out at the sight of her first paycheck. Ben had just pressed a kiss to her forehead, welcomed her into the world of a big job, and helped her deposit it. 

Rey loved Ben. She really did.

“Can I ask what the other part of my graduation gift is now? I know you let it slip up earlier, Solo, so you better spill. I swear to God, if it’s coffee beans or something stupid like that, I’m going to smack you,” Rey threatened playfully as she stood up from the floor and walked to the wall containing his diploma.

Ben had been kind enough to hammer a nail in right beside his fancy display, a spot made just for her. He chuckled behind her, still sitting on the floor, and shook his head though she couldn’t see it. “I promise it’s not coffee beans.”

Rey huffed in annoyance at his vague assurance but accepted it anyway while she straightened out the new sunflower yellow frame next to his jet black one, making sure it was perfectly straight. “And when do I get said graduation gift?” she pressed.

Ben scoffed and finally pushed up from his place on the wooden floorboards to pad in the direction of his bedroom, hopefully on his way to retrieve whatever Rey was questioning about.    
  


“I swear, you let one woman ding up your car and then you turn her into a brat, making her ask all these things about a silly little present,” Ben mocked. _ Brat?  _ Rey wasn’t a _ brat. _ It wasn’t her fault Ben spoiled her with such nice things, even if she rarely accepted anything like that recently.

Although… if he  _ did _ want to get her a rather nice sundress… that was a different story. 

“Here. It’s a bit silly, but I thought it might make you laugh a little,” Ben said softly, suddenly beside her. He extended a rather small box to her, a grey rectangle with white ribbon that definitely gave her wealthy vibes. She really hoped it wasn’t a goddamn set of car keys or else she’d flip her shit yet again.

Rey bit down on her bottom lip and undid the ribbon, letting it fall to the floor beside them, before tugging off the lid and staring at the keychain that rested inside. 

It was one of those keychains that had an object encased within clear resin, something that was meant to be preserved forever, but Rey didn’t recognize what it was, even as she lifted it up and let the see-through fab sit within her palm. 

There was paper inside, white and with a texture like a napkin, but if Rey squinted to read the writing, she realized it was Ben’s print work. In somewhat faded black ink, she read out a pitifully scribbled  _ ‘Can I take you on a date sometime?’ _ followed by his number.

Rey furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and looked up at Ben for answers when she spotted him holding up a keychain of his own, the goddamn horrible note she’d left behind on his windshield encased within resin—  _ sorry i hit ur car :( _

“Ben Solo, what is all this?” she asked softly, taking a step forward to touch the keychain that held her stupid little message she hoped would never actually find its way back to her.

“Would you believe me if I said I held onto your note after all this time? And that I may or may not have had  _ that _ note in my wallet every single day for the past four years hoping one day I’d finally slip it to you at that coffee stand?” Ben questioned back, his face now sympathetic and wary. 

Rey  _ tsked _ at him with her tongue and quickly pulled him down into a tight embrace, the tears that had built up in her eyes over the frame now coming back at full force and finally slipping down her cheeks.

“Ben Solo, you just had to wait for me to do something shitty to your car to finally ask me out, didn’t you?” Rey chided, though there was no malice in her voice whatsoever and her words came out as a watery choke more than anything.

He just squeezed her and buried his face into her neck with a happy sigh. “I’m thankful for it every day. But you know that, don’t you? I think I’m the only man in the world who’s actually glad his car got damaged,” he chuckled.

Rey pulled away with a sniffle and looked at the keychain he’d given her once more, taking in the fact it really was a napkin and that it was still somehow in a pristine condition despite the fact she’d worked at that coffee corner for four years.

“And to think I thought you actually liked black coffee,” she murmured to herself.

“No, Rey, I just liked you,” Ben shot back.

She reached up onto her tippy toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down into a sweet kiss. Ben grinned against her lips and picked her up with his hands on her waist, his palms fitting perfectly against her curves like they always did. Rey certainly didn’t waste any time slinging her legs around his abdomen while he moved in the direction of their bedroom.

“Mr. Solo, what ever are you going to do with me?” Rey questioned as she wiggled her eyebrows, tugging at his long black locks in the way that drove him crazy. Ben just pressed his lips into her neck and sucked deep marks into the soft, tanned skin while they crossed the threshold of their now shared bedroom.

“Well, Ms. Niima, I plan on throwing you onto my bed, getting you out of these restrictive clothes, and then absolutely having my way with you,” he informed her between messy kisses. She sighed contently and squealed in delight when he dropped her onto the springy mattress.

For a moment, they simply stared at each other, large grins on their faces, before Ben yanked his shirt off of his body and started to unbutton his pants. “Have I ever told you how handsome you are?” Rey asked, her own nimble fingers working on the zipper of her shorts before shucking them off onto the floor. 

“More than you probably should. Have I ever told you how you’re beauty itself?” Ben shot back. Rey just giggled and yelped in true glee when he abruptly crawled on top of her, his lips seaking hers out almost immediately. 

“I love you, Rey Niima,” he whispered with a smug grin. 

“I love you too, Ben Solo.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all liked this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. Sexy, sweet, and everything in between :,)


End file.
